2021 Mitsubishi Touch Up Paint (16 OEM Colors)

The 2021 Mitsubishi Vibe

By 2021, the world was a strange place, and the Mitsubishi lineup was no different. You had the Outlander trying to look like a spaceship, the Eclipse Cross trying to find its identity, and the Mirage just trying to keep up on the highway. With 16 colors in the database, Mitsubishi clearly decided variety was the spice of life. We're talking about everything from the "corporate-cool" of Alloy Silver Metallic and Mercury Gray to the "look-at-me" energy of Sunshine Orange Pearl and Sand Yellow Pearl. It's a palette that says you're either heading to a high-stakes board meeting or a beach party in 2004, with very little in between.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. Back in the day, you could practically sand a car with a brick and still have clear coat left; in 2021, the robots at the factory got a little too efficient for our own good. These Mitsubishis are sprayed with surgical precision-which is a polite way of saying the paint is thinner than a diner's paper napkin. High-end shades like Red Diamond Tricoat and White Diamond Tricoat are stunning, but they're fragile. Between the "Robot Efficiency" of the application and the way modern clear coats are designed to be rock-hard but brittle, a single stray pebble on the interstate can leave a chip that looks like a crater. If you're seeing a lot of "road rash" on the hood of your Outlander, don't blame your driving-blame the era of the micro-micron.

Restoration Tip

When you're fixing a chip on 2021 metal, remember the Golden Rule of the Thin Paint Era: Build layers slowly and don't blob it. Because the factory finish is so shallow, a big "one-and-done" drop of touch-up paint will sit on the surface like a sore thumb. Instead, use a fine-tipped applicator to bridge the gap. Apply a thin layer, let it flash off, and repeat until you've built the depth to match the surrounding clear coat. This is especially true for those deep Labrador Black or Octane Blue pearls-patience is the difference between a repair that disappears and one that looks like a DIY disaster.