Subaru Onyx Metallic (36Y) Touch Up Paint

The Look

If you are driving a mid-2000s Baja or Outback, you likely have this color on the lower plastic cladding or as the primary finish on your Legacy. It is a brooding, industrial grey that hides road salt and mud far better than a pure black. Since your car has likely spent two decades navigating trails or weather, the original finish has probably matured into a slightly flatter, more utilitarian look than it had on the showroom floor.

Technical Details

This is a metallic finish. It relies on microscopic metal flakes to catch the light and provide depth. Dark metallics like this are notoriously sensitive to application thickness. If you apply the paint too heavily in one spot, the flakes will sink and the area will look like a dark, muddy smudge. If you go too light, the finish will look dusty and silver. You want a middle ground where the flakes sit evenly across the surface to catch the sun without creating stripes.

Best Practices

You can usually find your paint code stamped on a silver plate located on the passenger side strut tower under the hood or along the driver's door jamb. Before you spray or dab Subaru Onyx Metallic (check for code 36Y), you need to shake the container for a full minute to get those heavy metal flakes off the bottom. Test the color on the included card to see how the flake density looks compared to your door or fender. When you start, keep the container moving to prevent the paint from pooling in one spot. Give each layer plenty of drying time so the metallic particles can set properly before you apply the next coat. For the best results, work in a cool garage rather than in direct sunlight.