2006 Mitsubishi Touch Up Paint (42 OEM Colors)

The 2006 Mitsubishi Vibe

Welcome to 2006, the year Mitsubishi decided to throw a dart at a rainbow and see what stuck. With a massive database of 45 colors, they were covering all bases-from the legendary Lancer Evolution IX in Ruri Blue Pearl to the futuristic redesign of the Eclipse dripping in Sunset Pearlescent. Whether you were hauling a family in an Endeavor or pretending you were in a street racing sequel with a UV Blue Pearl Galant, Mitsubishi was leaning hard into the "Liquid Metal" aesthetic. It was a time of high-tech pearls and complex metallics, where even the Raider pickup could come in something as sophisticated as Dusk Gray Metallic.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. By 2006, the robots in the factory had become a little too good at their jobs. They were programmed for "maximum efficiency," which in painter-speak means they applied the bare minimum of product required to cover the metal. If your Lancer or Outlander has been sitting in the sun, you've probably noticed the clear coat on the roof and trunk is starting to look a bit "dusty." This era's paint is notoriously soft-what we call "cheese-grade" clear. It's prone to "road rash" (a million tiny stone chips on the hood) and swirl marks that show up if you even look at a wash mitt the wrong way. The Rio Red and Phoenix Red models are especially vulnerable; once that thin clear coat gives up, the pigment underneath starts heading toward pink faster than you can say "turbo lag."

Restoration Tip

When you're fixing chips on a 2006 Mitsubishi, remember: Build layers slowly; don't blob it. Because the factory finish is so thin, a giant "mountain" of touch-up paint will look like a sore thumb. Instead of one heavy glob, apply your color in two or three thin, translucent layers. Let each one tack up so you don't trap solvent. Once the color is level with the surrounding area, apply your clear coat with a light touch. This mimics that "robot-thin" factory profile and ensures your Alloy Silver Metallic or Kalapana Black repair actually blends in rather than sitting on top of the panel like a high-gloss scab.