2009 Smart Touch Up Paint (9 OEM Colors)

The 2009 Smart Vibe

Back in 2009, everyone thought the future of the American commute was going to look like a technicolor Lego set. The Smart Fortwo was the poster child for that "less is more" energy, buzzing around in shades like Light Yellow and Crystal White. With nine colors in our database, it's clear that while the car was tiny, the personality was supposed to be huge. You had your high-contrast Tridion Silver Metallic trim cutting through the Deep Black or Blue Metallic panels, making these things look more like gadgets than actual transportation. It was an optimistic time-right up until you took one of these on a 70-mph highway next to a semi-truck.

Paint Health Check

Since this is a 2009, you're firmly in the Thin Paint Era. By the late 2000s, factory robots had become absolute masters of efficiency, which is just a polite way of saying they got really stingy with the clear coat. On a Smart, you've got the added "joy" of painting over thermoplastic panels. These plastic skins flex at a different rate than the paint does, and after a decade in the sun, that thin factory clear coat starts to lose its grip. If you're looking at a Red Metallic or Deep Black model, you've likely noticed the clear coat starting to flake off in sheets or "crazing" like an old porcelain plate. It's not just age; it's a case of the paint being too thin to handle the expansion and contraction of the plastic underneath.

Restoration Tip

When you're touching up a 2009 Fortwo, you have to respect the "Robot Efficiency" of the era. Because the factory finish is so thin, you can't just go in and heavy-hand it with a thick glob of paint. Build your layers slowly. If you try to fill a chip in one go, the solvent won't flash off correctly, and you'll end up with a soft, gummy mess that'll probably lift the surrounding clear coat. Give each pass plenty of time to dry, and keep your layers paper-thin. On these plastic panels, patience is the only thing standing between a clean repair and a spot that looks like a high-school art project gone wrong.