Ok dumb question, but I keep seeing cars on the Internet and on tv that have shiny (not chrome shiny) rotors. What type of rotors are these? I have Powerstop rotors now, but they get rusty quickly and they don't look great behind good wheels.
Most likely the rotor is a "coated" rotor. The metallurgical property is "enhanced" during the casting process to reduce or inhibit rust. The process is a refined version of the galvanizing or double galvanizing process mastered a couple of decades ago.
Stainless steel does not have the heat dissapative properties of steel nor does it have the malleability or shear strength of steel, under applied rotational inertia forces.
Maybe it was a glazed over cabon composite rotor - highly unlikely - those are still at the $ zillion price point.................
