1997 Renault Touch Up Paint (3 OEM Colors)

The 1997 Renault Vibe

Welcome to 1997, the year Renault decided that curves were in and sharp edges were for the history books. This was the era where the first-generation Megane was shaking up the mid-size market and the Clio was the undisputed king of the narrow European alleyway. While the streets were a sea of evolving shapes, we've focused our attention on the absolute survivor of the decade: Green Metallic. In the late 90s, if your Renault wasn't a deep, forest-inspired green, you were basically driving a rental. It was the sophisticated choice for a car that was trying to look more expensive than it actually was.

Paint Health Check

You're looking at a classic case from The Peeling Era. By 1997, Renault was fully committed to the basecoat-and-clearcoat system. It looked brilliant in the showroom, but as any seasoned painter will tell you, the bond between that "All Models" Green Metallic base and the clear top layer wasn't always a lifelong marriage. We call it delamination. Once a stone chip or a bird dropping breaks that top seal, the clear coat starts to flake off like a bad sunburn. If you see white, jagged edges appearing on your hood or roof, your clear coat is waving the white flag.

Restoration Tip

Speed is your only friend here. Because this era of paint is prone to lifting once air and moisture get under the clear, you have to seal chips immediately. Don't wait for the weekend. If you find a fresh nick in that Green Metallic, clean it with a solvent-based prep and get a dab of clear over it to lock down the edges. If the clear has already started to lift, you'll need to carefully sand the "feather" edge of the peel before applying a fresh layer, or the new paint will just ride the old flake right off the panel. Keep it sealed, or you'll be watching your finish peel away in the rearview mirror.