1988 Honda Touch Up Paint (40 OEM Colors)

The 1988 Honda Vibe

In 1988, Honda was hitting its stride. Whether it was the Marysville-built Accord rolling off the line in Ohio or a sleek Prelude with those iconic pop-up headlights, these cars were built to outlast their owners-mechanically, at least. The look of the year was all about low cowls and sophisticated, dark metallics. We've focused our efforts on the absolute heavyweight champion of the era: Granada Black Metallic. It was the color that turned a standard Civic into a street-legal shadow. Back then, if you saw a Granada Black Honda in the rear-view mirror, you knew the driver was probably a bit too enthusiastic about the rev limiter.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the heart of the "Peeling Era." By 1988, Honda had fully committed to the basecoat-clearcoat system for their metallics, but the clear coat they were using didn't always have the SPF needed for a long life under the sun. If your 1988 survivor hasn't been garage-kept, you're likely dealing with delamination. It starts as a cloudy, white haze on the roof or trunk and eventually turns into what I call the "Japanese Sunburn"-where the clear coat literally flakes off in sheets like dead skin. Once that clear coat fails, the base color underneath is defenseless. If you've still got original gloss, you're driving a miracle.

Restoration Tip

If you still have a solid clear coat, your number one job is moisture management. On these '88 finishes, a tiny rock chip is more than just an eyesore; it's a breach in the hull. Water gets under the edge of the clear coat, freezes or heats up, and begins to pry the clear away from the base paint. Seal every chip immediately. Don't wait for the weekend. The moment you see a nick in that Granada Black, get some paint on it to lock the edges of the clear coat down. It's the difference between a small touch-up and watching your entire hood start to molt.