2017 Honda Touch Up Paint (45 OEM Colors)

The 2017 Honda Vibe

By 2017, Honda was apparently trying to paint every car with a different crayon from the box. We've got a staggering 45 colors in the database for this year alone-everything from the "Energy Green Pearl" on the Civic that looked like a neon highlighter to the "Sonic Gray" that made the Accord look like it belonged on a battleship. Whether you were hauling the kids in an Odyssey, hitting the trails in a Pilot, or pretending to be a contractor in a Ridgeline, Honda had a pearl or a metallic for you. It was a high-tech era where "White Orchid Pearl" and "Still Night Blue" ruled the suburban driveways.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. Back in the day, we used to measure paint thickness with a ruler; now, we use a microscope. In 2017, the factory robots were so efficient that they laid down finishes thinner than a cheap diner napkin. These "modern" coats look great in the showroom, but they are absolute chip-magnets on the highway. If you're driving a 2017 HR-V or Fit in "White Orchid Pearl," you might already be seeing the dreaded "delamination"-that's when the clear coat and base decide they don't want to be roommates anymore and start peeling off in sheets. Between the robot-thin layers and the notorious "crow's foot" cracking on hoods and roofs, these finishes need a lot of love to stay pretty.

Restoration Tip

Since you're dealing with a factory finish that's leaner than a marathon runner, you can't just go in there and "blob" the paint on a chip. If you do, it'll stand out like a sore thumb. Build your layers slowly. Use a fine-tip applicator to place a tiny amount of paint, let it flash off, and repeat until you've built it up to the surrounding level. If you're working with one of those tricky tricoats-like "White Diamond Pearl" or "Premium Garnet"-patience is your only tool. Don't rush the process; you're trying to replicate a multi-stage factory depth with a human hand, and the robots didn't leave you much room for error.