Toyota Carina Paint Info
The Color Breakdown
Toyota didn't exactly break the rainbow with the Carina; they went for the "Essential Minimalist" look. According to our records, the Carina lineup is a sophisticated solo act featuring Silver Metallic. While some might call it a limited palette, we call it a commitment to a classic. It's the automotive equivalent of a perfect grey t-shirt: it hides a week's worth of road dust, never goes out of style, and looks just as sharp at the hardware store as it does at a Sunday brunch.
What to Watch For
Your Carina is a legend of reliability, but even legends can get a little "sunburnt." Toyota's metallic finishes from this era are famous for clear coat fatigue-if the paint on your roof or hood is starting to look a bit flaky or dull, it's just the car's way of saying it's spent too many summers in the driveway. To make sure you've got the right match, hunt down your paint code. It's usually hiding on a metal plate on the firewall (the back wall of the engine bay) or on a sticker inside the driver's side door jamb. Look for the letters "C/TR" followed by a three-digit code.
Driveway Repair Tip
Since you're working with Silver Metallic, you're dealing with a bottle full of tiny shimmering flakes. These flakes like to settle at the bottom, so shake that touch-up bottle for at least 60 seconds longer than you think is necessary-treat it like you're mixing a high-stakes cocktail. When you apply the paint, think "less is more." Use tiny, light dabs rather than one big glob. If you put it on too thick, the metallic bits "sink" to the bottom of the puddle and can make the spot look darker than the rest of the car. Patience and thin layers will make that chip disappear!
