2002 Citroen Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 2002 Citroen Vibe

Welcome to 2002-the year of low-rise jeans, the debut of the quirky C3, and the undisputed reign of the silver car. If you were walking into a Citroen showroom back then, you were likely looking at the futuristic curves of the C5 or the "egg on wheels" genius of the Xsara Picasso. While the world was obsessed with the new millennium, the only color that truly mattered was Gris Aluminum Metallic. It was everywhere. It was the high-tech, "precision engineering" look that every Berlingo and Saxo owner wanted. It didn't just look like paint; it looked like the future, even if that future was mostly just sitting in traffic on the M1.

Paint Health Check

We are firmly in The Peeling Era. By 2002, Citroen had mastered the two-stage basecoat/clearcoat system, but the bond between them wasn't always a lifelong marriage. If your Citroen has been parked in the sun, you're probably seeing what I call "The French Sunburn"-that white, flaky delamination where the clear coat starts lifting off the roof and hood like a tourist who forgot their SPF 50. Once that clear coat starts to go, the thin metallic basecoat underneath is defenseless. It'll oxidize and turn into a dull, grey mess faster than you can say "C'est la vie."

Restoration Tip

In this era, your biggest enemy isn't just a scratch; it's a breach. When you see a stone chip on that Gris Aluminum hood, you aren't just looking at a cosmetic flaw-you're looking at the starting point for a clear coat failure. Therefore, you must seal chips immediately before the clear lifts. If you let moisture and air get under the edge of that clear coat, it will start to "creep," and once it delaminates, there is no "buffing it out." A quick touch-up today prevents a full-panel respray tomorrow. Feather the edges of any chips carefully, and make sure you're sealing them tight to keep the "peel" at bay.