Dodge Van-Wagon Paint Info
The Color Breakdown
Dodge certainly wasn't shy when it came to the Van-Wagon, giving us a massive library of 44 colors to choose from. They really went for it with the variety-you might find yourself rocking anything from the adventurous Island Teal Pearl and Shark Blue Pearl to the more buttoned-down Dark Spruce Metallic. Whether your van is a weekend warrior in Colorado Red or a classic cruiser in Black Cherry Pearl, it's clear Dodge wanted these big boxes to have big personalities.
What to Watch For
Because these vans have the surface area of a small aircraft, they tend to catch a lot of sun. Keep a close eye on the "horizontal" real estate-the hood and the roof-where the clear coat can sometimes get a bit "sunburned" and start to flake. You might also see tiny bubbles near the door handles or wheel wells; catching those early with a touch-up pen is the best way to keep the rust at bay. To find your specific shade, start your treasure hunt at the driver's side door jamb on the safety sticker (look for the "PNT" code). If it's not there, Dodge occasionally hid it on the inner fender well or even behind the battery on the driver's side.
Driveway Repair Tip
Since so many of these colors are high-character pearls and metallics (like that Island Teal), your secret weapon is the "Minute-Long Shake." Those tiny metallic sparkles love to settle at the bottom of the bottle, so give it a vigorous shake for at least 60 seconds to wake them up before you start. When applying, resist the urge to fill a chip in one go. Using the tip of your brush or pen, apply two or three paper-thin layers rather than one big glob. Matching a complex metallic finish requires patience, but building it up slowly ensures those sparkles sit just right and stay put for the long haul.