Yep we all do our own thing.

Primer - Stynylrez black, if I use primer sometimes I skip it.

If I prime it I spray a mottled flat white in the panels avoiding the panel lines and keeping it on the upper areas that fade the most.

Then I spray my top coat Tamiya acrylics, with a very light spray with a thinner to paint ratio of 60/40 sprayed at 10 to 12 psi, spraying it on in several thin coats. This allows the white to provide the faded effect. 

Then it's gloss coat time (Pledge revive it while I still have some)

Decal time.

If I do a wash then I would put another gloss coat before doing so. If I don't then it's flat coat time.

All clear parts I dip in pledge to help prevent fogging when I glue them on. They are also applied before any painting and coated with liquid mask to protect them during the painting process.

I don't do any heavy weathering on AC anymore.

Every thing I spray on the model is acrylic. If I do a wash I use pastels mixed in water and dish soap to make the wash.

This is the method I enjoy.

If I skip the primer, I skip the mottled white paint as well. I will hit the panel lines with Tamiya panel liner directly on he plastic as a preshade before I paint using several thin coats as mentioned above so I don't obscure the panel lines. (very easy to over do it LOL).

That's my technique in a nutshell.

Never hesitate to try different things until you find the one that works for you. Check out Doog's models. He's got some good technique videos.