2007 Scion Background Info
The 2007 Scion Vibe
Welcome to 2007, the year your Sidekick was buzzing with MySpace notifications and the "boxy" movement was in full swing. Scion was the brand for the kids who wanted custom style straight from the dealer lot, and with 17 colors in our database for this year alone, they weren't kidding about variety. Whether you were rocking the slab-sided xB or the sleek tC, you likely picked a shade with some serious personality-like the deep Black Cherry Pearl or the industry-favorite Flint Mica. It was an era where "factory custom" actually meant something, and these cars were the ultimate blank canvases.
Paint Health Check
By 2007, we had officially entered the Thin Paint Era. The factory robots in Japan were tuned for maximum efficiency, which is just a polite way of saying they were stingy with the clear coat. If you own a tC or an xA today, you've likely noticed that the hood and front bumper look like they've been through a meteor shower. Those vertical faces on the xB are rock-chip magnets, and because the factory layers were so thin, a single pebble doesn't just nick the paint-it goes straight to the primer. You might also see the clear coat getting a bit "checked" or hazy on the roof; that's the "Robot Efficiency" failing under a decade and a half of sun exposure.
Restoration Tip
When you're touching up a 2007 Scion, you have to fight the urge to fill the chip in one shot. Because the factory paint is so thin, a heavy "blob" of touch-up paint will sit on the surface like a localized wart and never level out. Build your layers slowly. Apply a thin coat, let it flash off, and repeat until you've reached the surrounding height. This mimics the factory's multi-stage process and ensures that deep pearls-like Blizzard Pearl Tricoat or Black Sand Pearl-maintain their depth without looking like a DIY disaster. Don't rush the dry time; patience is the only thing that saves a thin factory finish.