How long do fully coated brake rotors last? AC Delco two-winter review

Is it worth it to spend extra money on fully coated brake rotors? In this video, we'll take a look at a pair of AC Delco Advantage fully coated brake rotors that have been through two winters to see how they've held up.

Here's a link to ACDelco rotors on Amazon, where I bought mine (
(This is an Amazon affiliate link, so the channel will earn a commission from qualifying purchases):

[TVCColin]

We recently became an AC Delco Service Center at our shop and are using 90% Delco parts. I cant even begin to tell you how happy we have been with them. Everything is made to a higher standard it seems. Especcially the brake parts. We were having a lot of trouble with SST and Bendix brakes and have had no issues with Delco. Awesome quality parts.

[MyNameIsNick]

I work at a factory where we put a coating on oem rotors for a big automotive manufacturer. We have 2 rotors outside the shop just laying there so the rain can hit them. Theres a uncoated rotor and our coated rotor, ours is almost new with some surface rust. The uncoated is rusted all over. After seeing that i was sold on coated rotors. However i buy them uncoated and bring them to work and coat them.

[shimes]

Lol at the "waste of $" comments

Rotors turn kinetic energy into heat. That's it. When less of the surface area is rusted up n flaking off, more heat is able to be dissipated.

More heat dissipation = better performing rotors, less pad wear, less brake fluid deterioration, less grease deterioration, and a lot more benefits I can't think of right now.

[themechanic]

I use these rotors all the time on customers cars and yes they are worth it. This rotor looks great for 30k . a uncoated rotor will be completely rusty in a month .(chicago area)

[rickmcculloch]

good video, be nice to see non coated rotors and just how badly they would be rusted. My 2019 GMC Sierra came with some kinda Delco rotors that after 2 years of Canadian winters still look relatively new so there's something to them. Thank you for posting

[michaelwright]

I just ordered the AC Delco Gold rotors and pads for my 2003 Buick Park Avenue... We shall see, hopefully will get them on this weekend.

[Garage]

I prefer rotors that at least have some kind of coating on the top hat portion. The cooling vane coating will almost always wear away, but it still stays nice looking longer.
A Coating on the the front and back of the mounting surface keeps nice and tidy. This ensures easy maintenance any time you need to remove them.
Plus, it maintains an even surface to keep rotors and wheels free from vibration. Overall worth it to me, as it can be a real blessing to work with as little rust as possible.

[AntonioClaudioMichael]

I think it was worth the extra money for them rotors

[mjmcomputers]

No road salt here but I did buy a set of those coated rotors a few years ago. Last time I looked they still had nice paint on them.

[thetruthserum]

hmm, now I may have to experiment with Nickle plated rotors...

[Freemandemon]

I have those rotors on my wife's Olds. Alero, for the last two years, I only get a year before having to replace them, due to the rotor warping.

[edwardgreenjr]

It depends entirely on your location and the vehicle they are going on. I say they are worth it for road salt winter areas using heavier vehicles in particular.
But even if you tend to have rotors outlast a few sets of pads already, it's not bad to spend a couple extra $$$ to have you rotors not look like a rusted mess behind your wheels.
Doing a full rear brake service on my wife's CUV, and the cost difference to get the coated rotors (black coating on hat and edges) vs non coated was less than $5 each. Seeing how rusted-on the old rotors were, it's worth it in my book.

[ricardoseales]

I have been they are great .Yes I would buy them again.

[ricardoseales]

I have some already band yes they are worth it

[cup_and_cone]

Bought a set of German-made Zimmerman rotors once for my VW that we're fully coated... Brake cleaner and paper towel took the greyish coating right off! I cried briefly.

Currently having good luck with the Centric Premium rotors with e-coating on our 1/2 ton GMTs.

EDIT: Just looked them up, they're the Centric Premium rotors with black e-coating, not the Centric GCX rotors.

[PanzerPlatform]

Yo TT,

Thanks for making this video.
I put a set of these same AC Delco Advantage rotors on my car almost two years ago (uncoated).
I always wondered what they would have looked like, if I had ponied up the extra bucks to get the coated ones.

-Chuck

[davidcampbell]

Living in Ontario Canada, I wont use anything but coated rotors! If you park the car for a week with out them, the pads seize to the rotors.

[JZ]

I just ordered some for my 2005 acura tsx through rock auto.

[danr]

You didn't say how much more they cost, so I can't saw if it's worth it.

[elijahlymus]

Can you reuse the same brake pads on new rotors if the pads still have life?