Lexus GS300/400 Touch Up Paint (11 OEM Colors)

The Color Breakdown

Lexus didn't just give the GS300 and GS400 a paint job; they gave them a personality. With 11 colors recorded, they ran the gamut from the sophisticated Bordeaux Mica Pearl and Cypress Pearl to the more classic, business-casual Silver Metallic and Black Onyx. If you're driving one in Matador Red Tricoat, you know the designers really went for it-that's a bold look for a car that usually prefers to whisper rather than shout.

What to Watch For

Lexus paint from this era is known for being "soft." In the world of driveway repairs, that's a double-edged sword: it means your car picks up hood chips if a pebble even looks at it funny, but the paint is also very forgiving to work with. If you own a Black Onyx model, don't be surprised if your cleaning cloth comes away with a little black on it-that's a single-stage finish doing its thing. You'll find your specific 3-digit paint code on the driver's side door jamb; look for the "C/TR" on the VIN sticker. Keep an eye on the roof and trunk, as these horizontal surfaces are the first to show UV wear.

Driveway Repair Tip

Since many of these colors-like White Crystal Pearl or Dark Blue Mica-contain heavy pearls and metallics, the "secret sauce" is in the shake. Most DIYers stop shaking the bottle when their arm gets tired, but you need to go for a full two minutes to wake up those sparkles. If you're filling a deep chip, don't try to fill the whole crater at once. Apply one thin layer, let it dry for 15 minutes, and add another. For those complex Tricoat colors, matching the depth requires patience, but the results are worth the wait.