2013 Subaru Touch Up Paint (23 OEM Colors)

The 2013 Subaru Vibe

2013 was a hell of a year for Subaru. They finally decided that being the most sensible car in the faculty parking lot wasn't enough, so they gave us the BRZ for the weekend warriors and the XV Crosstrek for people who wanted to look like they spent their weekends hiking (even if they were just at the mall). With a whopping 23 colors in our database for this year, variety was clearly the name of the game. You couldn't throw a rock without hitting a Tangerine Orange Pearl Metallic XV or a Desert Khaki Impreza. And let's not forget the icons-if you weren't rocking W R Blue Pearl on your BRZ, were you even trying? It was a colorful era, but it was also the height of a specific kind of factory philosophy.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. By 2013, the robots at the factory had become masters of efficiency-which is code for "applying the absolute minimum amount of paint required to cover the metal." While these Crystal Black Silica and Ice Silver Metallic finishes look deep and glossy, they're notoriously delicate. The clear coat is about as thick as a New Year's resolution. If you've spent any time on the highway, your hood and front bumper probably look like they've been peppered by a shotgun. This era is famous for "Robot Efficiency" chips-small, sharp strikes that go straight through the thin clear and base layers, often exposing the primer or bare metal before you've even finished your first oil change.

Restoration Tip

Because 2013 paint is so thin, you have to be smarter than the machine that applied it. Build your layers slowly; don't blob it. If you try to fill a chip in one heavy pass, the repair will sit way higher than the factory finish, and it'll stick out like a sore thumb. Instead, use thin, surgical coats. Apply a tiny amount, let it flash off, and repeat until the chip is level with the surrounding area. Since the factory clear is so shallow, you don't have much room to sand or buff mistakes out later-so take your time on the application. A steady hand is the only thing that beats a factory robot.