1988 Hyundai Touch Up Paint (11 OEM Colors)

The 1988 Hyundai Vibe

1988 was the year Hyundai truly dug its heels into the driveway. Between the Walkmans and the neon windbreakers, the Pony Excel was the budget-friendly hero of the era. It wasn't a luxury cruiser, and it didn't pretend to be. While other manufacturers were experimenting with wild palettes, we've focused our attention on the real survivors of the decade: the moody, deep Dark Cherry Red Pearl and the unapologetic Ebony Black. These were the colors of a car that worked for a living.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Peeling Era. By 1988, the industry was fully committed to the basecoat/clearcoat system, but the chemistry hadn't quite caught up to the ambition. If your '88 Hyundai has spent any significant time under the sun, you're likely staring at the "Salty Painter's Nightmare": Delamination. This is where the clear coat loses its grip on the color underneath and starts flaking off like a bad sunburn. Once that clear lifts and the basecoat is exposed to the elements, it's only a matter of time before the metal underneath starts calling out for help.

Restoration Tip

The secret to keeping these '80s finishes alive is containment. If you see a rock chip or a small nick, don't wait for the weekend-seal it immediately. Once air and moisture get under the edge of that clear coat, the delamination spreads like a rumor. Use a high-solid solvent touch-up to seal the edges of the chip and lock that clear coat down to the primer. It's a five-minute fix that prevents a five-hundred-dollar headache later.