2002 Mazda Touch Up Paint (48 OEM Colors)

The 2002 Mazda Vibe

It's 2002. You're wearing a shell necklace, "How You Remind Me" is on the radio, and you're probably driving a Protege, a Tribute, or a Miata. This was the year of the "Silver Revolution." Looking at our database of 9 shades, it's clear that if it wasn't a shade of ink-like Black Pearl or Brilliant Black-it was a shade of tech. We've got Sunlight, Platinum, and Satin Silver Metallic all fighting for garage space. It was a time when your Mazda was meant to look like a high-end piece of consumer electronics, and for a few years, it did.

Paint Health Check

Listen, kid, we're squarely in The Peeling Era. Back in '02, Mazda was using basecoat/clearcoat systems that looked like a million bucks on the showroom floor, but they had a glass jaw. The clear coat on these cars is notorious for "Delamination." That's the technical term for when the top protective layer decides it's had enough of the sun and starts flaking off like a bad sunburn. If you see white, chalky edges around a rock chip on your 626 or MPV, that's the clear coat losing its grip on the base color. Once the air gets under there, it's a runaway train.

Restoration Tip

The secret to keeping a 2002 Mazda looking decent is simple: Seal chips immediately before the clear lifts. These factory finishes were applied with "just enough" thickness to pass QC, meaning there isn't much meat on the bone. If you get a chip on the hood of that Millenia, don't wait for the weekend. Clean it out and get some fresh paint and clear over it right away. If you let that edge stay open, moisture and UV rays will dive under the clear coat and start the peeling process. Once it starts lifting, you aren't just touching up a chip anymore-you're looking at a full panel respray.