Coated Rotors vs uncoated.

Joined
Jun 10, 2021
Messages
11
Location
California
Got a full brake job coming up on my genesis, and Ive come across between buying coated rotors or non coated ones. Are they worth the $45 upgrade to have them be coated as opposed to just buying the uncoated rotor set? I live in southern California, no harsh winters or salt roads here. Should I save myself the money and just stick with the oem uncoated ones, or is it worth having the coated ones because they are graded as "lasting longer"
 
Are you doing the brake job yourself?
If you always want the rotors looking good through the beautiful wheels, you may want to get the coated rotors or paint them yourself before the install. I like coated rotors but for anything that I drive, the coated rotors vs non-coated isn't $45/ea. It's more along the lines of $5-$10/ea.
Also, any can of paint will do however, I try to buy the better brands of paint for a longer lasting finish...just spray paint will do and you can choose your color. 🖍️ And you can paint your calipers while you're at it .🖌️
 
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Are you doing the brake job yourself?
If you always want the rotors looking good through the beautiful wheels, you may want to get the coated rotors or paint them yourself before the install. I like coated rotors but for anything that I drive, the coated rotors vs non-coated isn't $45/ea. It's more along the lines of $5-$10/ea.
Also, any can of paint will do however, I try to buy the better brands of paint for a longer lasting finish...just spray paint will do and you can choose your color. 🖍️ And you can paint your calipers while you're at it .🖌️
yup! doing the brake job myself! i dont think cosmetics appearance for my brakes is a must. And my estimate of $45 is the total for difference between the non coated and coated brake set im looking to buy. Which makes it around like you said $10 per rotor with the coating on it.
 
Coated rotors are mainly for harsh driving conditions, such as winter and salty roads. If you live in hot and dry place like SoCal you might save the money and get regular rotors instead. And if you wish you can coat them yourself prior to installation.
Not sure how one would coat front rotors and get the cooling vanes coated?

I think in many cases the coated rotor is an upgraded rotor so your paying for more than just the coating.
 
More important is getting the metal compositon right. Hyundai probably uses a high-carbon rotor on your Genesis. Many “coated” rotors do offer high-carbon iron if OE specified. I’ve had luck with Centric - not Geomet but the hats and edges didn’t rust away after a Tahoe trip.

I even install coated rotors behind steelies as well. Coated rotors will help with aesthetics - but brake dust, especially from metallic brake pads is still public enemy #1 for wheels.
 
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More important is getting the metal compositon right. Hyundai probably uses a high-carbon rotor on your Genesis. Many “coated” rotors do offer high-carbon iron if OE specified. I’ve had luck with Centric - not Geomet but the hats and edges didn’t rust away after a Tahoe trip.

I even install coated rotors behind steelies as well. Coated rotors will help with aesthetics - but brake dust, especially from metallic brake pads is still public enemy #1 for wheels.
Brake pad dust from pad metal (no friction pad left) is worse than metallic brake pads.
 
I'be been looking at using Bosch coated rotors. The coating seems to be metallic silver paint, do you just install them as they are and allow the pads to rub the paint off. I imagine the braking will initially be poor until all the paint is gone.
 
I'be been looking at using Bosch coated rotors. The coating seems to be metallic silver paint, do you just install them as they are and allow the pads to rub the paint off. I imagine the braking will initially be poor until all the paint is gone.
They’ll be fine - the coating will burnish off, it’s a Geomet-like coating, a waterborne zinc-aluminum product.

If anything, the coating will help with initial bite - it’s kinda the same marketing point behind “titanium” coatings on brake pads(Bendix, Wearever Platinum, EBC, Centric).
 
Southern Cali is not exactly going to stress the coating, but I would get the coated rotors because they look nicer and in your case will continue to look great until they are too thin and need to be replaced.
 
I've had both, and even in the salt belt the machined faces of the rotor on either product do not rust much. Flash rust on the uncoated, but not even worth mentioning. Get good quality rotors for your car.

Forgive me for not reading all the posts (work), but how many miles on your car.. How did the OE rotors hold up over time? Any warping? I have been using OE rotors for a bit now bc I've had bad experiences with aftermarkets.. Especially Brembo's on my BMW 7 series. OE was crazy expensive, but the originals lasted over 100k. Brembo's warped after 8k, and yes I know how to install rotors and calipers correctly.
If you plan on keeping the car for many more miles, go OE. Its taken me 15 years of brake work to come to that conclusion.
 
Are you doing the brake job yourself?
If you always want the rotors looking good through the beautiful wheels, you may want to get the coated rotors or paint them yourself before the install. I like coated rotors but for anything that I drive, the coated rotors vs non-coated isn't $45/ea. It's more along the lines of $5-$10/ea.
Also, any can of paint will do however, I try to buy the better brands of paint for a longer lasting finish...just spray paint will do and you can choose your color. 🖍️ And you can paint your calipers while you're at it .🖌️
If I was to paint the faces of the rotors, I would, personally get a zinc rich primer, and follow it up with a zinc rich paint.
 
Coated rotors are mainly for harsh driving conditions, such as winter and salty roads. If you live in hot and dry place like SoCal you might save the money and get regular rotors instead. And if you wish you can coat them yourself prior to installation.
Up here in the Northeast coated or uncoated, by the end of winter your rotors will be so grooved they can be played back on a victrola.
 
I personally prefer coated rotors. A couple of times I couldn’t source them and used VHT brand paint on the inside and out of the rotor hat, and it’s held up just as well here in the south, at least. The Genesis is a nice car - I’d go the extra step to buy or spray.

if you buy, the pads scrape off the excess material in about 10 feet, and the first ease of the brake pedal halts the car. After that, they are ready to go.

what pads are you considering? I’ve tried a bunch of different brands and have very happily settled on the element3 pads, including on our Lexus gs350, which is similar to your Genesis.
 
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