Volkswagen Platinum Metallic (Water Based) (LD1Y/86) Touch Up Paint

The Look

This specific shade was a blink-and-you-missed-it moment for the 2013 Polo. While most Volkswagens of that era stuck to a standard silver palette, Platinum Metallic offered a cooler, more industrial edge that made the compact Polo look significantly more premium. It carries a heavy dose of metallic flake that catches the light differently than your average grey, giving the car a liquid-metal appearance when it is clean. Since your car has been on the road for over a decade, this color likely still holds its depth well, though it can look a bit muted if the surface is neglected.

Technical Details

The finish is a metallic, which means it relies on tiny flakes suspended in the basecoat. The main challenge with this color is mottling. If the flakes do not lay down flat, you will see dark, cloudy patches that ruin the factory look. This usually happens when the paint is applied too heavily in one spot. You want the flakes to land evenly so they reflect light in a single, uniform direction. This metallic requires a clear coat to find its true shine, as the basecoat will look dull and flat once it reaches its drying time.

Best Practices

You can find your color plate in the trunk, typically tucked near the spare tire well or on the back compartment panel. Before you apply Volkswagen Platinum Metallic (Water Based) (code LD1Y/86), you must shake the container for at least two minutes to wake up those heavy metallic particles. Test the color on the included card to ensure the shade matches your current paint fade. When you start, keep the container moving and use light, overlapping passes rather than trying to cover the damage in one go. Work in a Garage or the Shade to prevent the sun from forcing the paint to dry before the flakes have a chance to settle into place.