COLOR CODEA7F - Sky Blue MetallicSubaru Touch-Up Paint

The Look

This color was a brief, bright moment for the 2011 Outback, offering a lighter alternative to the deep greens and greys usually found on Subaru lots. It is a soft, airy shade that feels more like a clear mountain sky than a heavy industrial blue. Since your car has been on the road since 2011, the original finish has likely faded a hair under the sun, so your repair will need a light touch to blend with the aged panels.

Technical Details

This is a metallic finish, which means it relies on a suspension of tiny light-reflecting flakes to create its depth. The biggest challenge with metallics is mottling, which occurs when those flakes clump together and create dark, bruised-looking spots or stripes. If you apply the paint too heavily or too quickly, the flakes won't lay flat, and the repair will look darker than the rest of the car.

Best Practices

You can find your paint code on the passenger side strut tower under the hood or on the driver's side door pillar. Before you apply Subaru Sky Blue Metallic (code A7F), you must shake the container for at least sixty seconds to ensure the metallic particles are fully mixed. Test the color on the included card to get a feel for the flow and density of the flakes. When you move to the car, keep the container moving at a steady pace and use thin layers. Give each layer enough drying time so the metallic particles set firmly in place instead of drifting into clusters. Work in a cool garage or the shade to prevent the paint from drying before the flakes have a chance to level out.