1996 Citroen Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 1996 Citroen Vibe

1996 was a year of "sensible" French radicalism. While the rest of the world was getting boring, Citroen was busy launching the first Berlingo and keeping the hydropneumatic dream alive with the Xantia and the executive XM. It was an era where the brand tried to balance its quirky DNA with a more "rugged" build quality. Our database focuses on the ultimate survivor of this year: Blanc. It's that crisp, classic French white that defined every Berlingo van and fleet-spec Xantia on the road. It wasn't just a color; it was a uniform for the working class and the eccentric alike.

Paint Health Check

If you're looking at a Citroen from the mid-90s, you're dealing with the height of the Peeling Era. By 1996, the factory was using high-solids solvent clears that were supposed to be tough, but didn't always play nice with the base layers over time. These cars were actually built on pretty decent zinc-sprayed (galvanized) shells, so while they don't rot as fast as a contemporary Ford, the paint has a habit of "sunburning." You'll likely see delamination-where the clear coat starts flaking off like a dry croissant-especially on the flat horizontal surfaces like the roof and the hood. Once that clear lifts, the color underneath loses its protection and starts to go chalky.

Restoration Tip

The golden rule for 1996 Citroen paint: Seal the chips immediately. Because this era suffers from delamination, a tiny stone chip isn't just a cosmetic eyesore; it's an entry point for moisture to get between the clear coat and the base color. Once water gets under that edge, the clear will start to lift and peel in sheets. Use a high-quality solvent-based touch-up to fill the crater and seal the edges of the clear coat. If you catch it early, you can stop the "peeling skin" effect before you're forced to respray the entire panel.