1996 Winnebago Touch Up Paint (7 OEM Colors)

The 1996 Winnebago Vibe

Ah, 1996. The year the Macarena was inescapable and the Winnebago Minnie Winnie was the king of the KOA. By the mid-90s, the "box-on-wheels" look was evolving into something a bit more sophisticated. Winnebago was leaning hard into the rugged, "National Park" aesthetic, moving away from the loud stripes of the 80s and into the era of the earth-toned survivor. We've cataloged the heavy hitters of the year-the colors that actually stood the test of time while others faded into memory. If you're rocking Sahara Metallic or the ever-reliable Brite White, you're driving a piece of mid-90s adventure history.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the heart of the "Peeling Era." By 1996, the industry had fully committed to the basecoat-clearcoat system, but the UV-blocking technology in those early clears wasn't exactly ready for thirty years of baking in the Arizona sun. If you look at the front cap or those upper roof rails and see what looks like a bad sunburn flaking off in translucent sheets, you're dealing with delamination. The bond between that Graphite base and the clear top layer is giving up the ghost. Once that clear coat lifts, the pigment underneath is defenseless-it'll turn chalky and dead faster than you can say "scenic overlook."

Restoration Tip

In this era, your best friend is triage. If you spot a small chip in your Buff or Sahara Metallic, do not "wait until next season" to fix it. When a chip pierces the clear coat on a '96 rig, moisture gets trapped between the layers and starts traveling, acting like a wedge that lifts the clear from the inside out. Seal those chips immediately to lock the edges down. If the clear has already started flaking, you'll need to feather those edges back with a fine-grit sandpaper until you hit "stable" paint before dabbing on your repair. Seal the deal quickly, or you'll be watching your factory finish blow off in the rearview mirror on the next highway stretch.