1998 Lexus Touch Up Paint (45 OEM Colors)

The 1998 Lexus Vibe

1998 was the year Lexus decided to own the executive parking lot. Between the bank-vault reliability of the LS400 and the "bubble-eye" GS400, these cars were built to outlast their owners. In our database, we've focused on the survivors-specifically the iconic Black Onyx and that quintessential Dark Gray Metallic cladding. This was the era of the two-tone legend; if your Lexus didn't have a contrasting lower body, were you even really "arriving"? It was a time of over-engineered luxury where the paint was applied with a "piano-finish" mindset, meant to look like a mirror even while idling in a suburban driveway.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the heart of the Peeling Era. While Lexus quality was miles ahead of the competition, 1998 paint is now a quarter-century old, and physics eventually wins. You're likely dealing with the "Lexus Delamination" heartbreak. The base coat might still look rich, but the clear coat on the roof, trunk, and the tops of the fenders is probably starting to "zipper"-that's when the clear lifts away in flaky white sheets. Once the sun cooks that bond, the clear becomes a sacrificial layer that's ready to bail. If you see white, crusty edges around your rock chips, the clear coat is officially losing its grip.

Restoration Tip

The secret to saving a '98 is edge-sealing. On these models, the transition between the metal body and that Dark Gray plastic cladding is a prime spot for moisture to crawl under the finish. If you have a chip near the cladding line or on the hood, don't wait for the weekend. Seal it immediately. Because this era uses a thick clear coat, a chip creates a "shelf" where water and wax can sit, eventually hydraulic-pressing the clear right off the base. Use a steady hand to fill the chip level with the surrounding surface to lock those layers back together before the "peel" starts moving across the panel like a slow-motion wave.