1998 Austin Touch Up Paint (2 OEM Colors)

The 1998 Austin Vibe

By 1998, the automotive world was moving fast, leaving the old-school Austin badge as a bit of a legacy act, mostly seen on the final runs of the classic Mini or the very last of the Metro lineage. It was a year of transition where the colors started to get sophisticated. We've focused our database on the true survivors from this late era, specifically the iconic Bright Red and the deep, shimmering Mystic Blue Pearl Effect. These weren't just "paint"-they were the final flourishes of a British institution trying to look its best before the millennium turned.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the peak of The Peeling Era. By 1998, the factory was using high-solids clear coats designed for maximum shine, but they had a nasty habit of "delaminating" from the color coat underneath. If your Austin has spent too many years under the sun, you've likely seen the symptoms: the clear starts looking like a bad sunburn, turning white and flaky before it peels off in large, heart-breaking sheets. Once that clear coat bond breaks, the Bright Red basecoat underneath will oxidize into a chalky pink faster than you can say "Longbridge."

Restoration Tip

With paint this age, your biggest enemy is a stone chip. On a 1998 model, a tiny chip isn't just an eyesore-it's an entry point for moisture and air to get under the clear coat and start the peeling process. Therefore, you must seal every chip immediately. Don't wait for a "free weekend." Clean the area, use a toothpick to dab a tiny amount of touch-up into the crater, and seal it up. This locks the edges of the clear coat down and prevents the dreaded delamination from spreading across your hood like a wildfire.