2002 Subaru Touch Up Paint (21 OEM Colors)

The 2002 Subaru Vibe

It's 2002. You're wearing a shell necklace, "How You Remind Me" is playing on every FM station, and the "bug-eye" Impreza WRX has finally landed on North American soil. This was the year Subaru stopped being just a "granola" brand for Forester-driving teachers and became a rally-bred legend. We've curated the colors that actually mattered for the survivors: the iconic W R Blue Pearl, the Platinum Silver Metallic that seemed to be on every second car in the parking lot, and that Gold Metallic specifically for those high-maintenance BBS wheels. Whether you're in a two-tone Outback or a Legacy, this was a peak year for the "Subie rumble."

Paint Health Check

Now, let's talk booth truth. If you're looking at a 2002 Subaru today, you're likely staring at the poster child for "The Peeling Era." Subaru wasn't exactly known for laying the clear coat on thick back then. By now, the factory clear on the roof and hood of most WR Blue Imprezas or Aspen White Foresters has probably seen more UV damage than a beach bum in the late 90s. We're talking about delamination-that's when the clear coat starts to lift and flake off like a bad sunburn. Once that clear goes, your basecoat is defenseless against the elements, and the rust on those rear quarter panels starts moving in faster than a college student into a dorm.

Restoration Tip

The golden rule for this era: Seal the breach immediately. These factory coats are thin, so if you see a stone chip, you aren't just looking at a cosmetic blemish; you're looking at a starting point for clear coat failure. Use a high-quality solvent-based touch-up to seal those edges before the clear coat starts to curl up like a stale potato chip. If you're working on the Gold Metallic wheels or the Two-Tone bumpers, make sure you clean the area with a heavy-duty degreaser first-those old adventure rigs have twenty years of road grime and chain-lube baked into the pores of the paint.