Volkswagen Panther Gray Effect (LD7P/R4) Touch Up Paint

The Look

Your Tiguan carries a color that sits right on the edge of a deep charcoal and a stormy sky. This is a sophisticated, moody shade that helped the first-generation Tiguan stand out from the sea of flat silvers on the road between 2014 and 2016. Because the tone is so deep, it gives your vehicle a grounded, premium weight. It is excellent at hiding the light dust of daily commuting, but it will show every bit of road salt or dried rain spots. Since your car has likely spent a good decade in the sun, the original finish might have darkened slightly, so your repair will look best if you focus on matching the depth rather than just the color.

Technical Details

This is a metallic finish, and the "Effect" in the name comes from a heavy dose of fine metallic particles suspended in the paint. These flakes are what give the gray its life, but they are also your biggest challenge. If you apply the paint too heavily in one spot, the metal flakes will clump together and create a dark, muddy blotch. If you apply it too lightly, the repair will look like a dry, dusty patch that doesn't catch the light the same way as the factory panel. You want to aim for thin, even layers to allow those particles to lay flat and uniform across the surface.

Best Practices

You can verify your color by checking the white paper sticker located in your trunk, usually tucked under the carpet near the spare tire well. Before you spray or dab Volkswagen Panther Gray Effect (check for code LD7P/R4), you need to shake it for 60 seconds. This step is vital because those metallic flakes are heavy and sink to the bottom of the container within minutes. Test the color on the included card to see how the metallic settles before you touch the car. When applying, keep the container moving to prevent the paint from pooling. Let the drying time do its work between layers; rushing the process will trap the flakes and ruin the metallic reflection.