Should I paint my brake calipers?

[TurnAround]

No.. not with the red, blue, or black epoxy paint kits. I mean just basic high temp high quality spray paint. Probably a dark putty grey color.

Here's why..

Calipers are cast iron. The ATE calipers we have are not all nice and machined and powder coated like Brembos, StopTech, etc.. Ours are "mottled" (un finished). They treat them with a zinc coating to fight rust, but eventually they get rusty looking. Well, that, and a coating of brake dust which is.. you guessed it -> dark putty grey color.

I've seen pics of BMW ATE brake calipers all rusted through. Oye. I don't want to afford a big brake kit. I'll stick with the OEM. But I have an upcoming brake rotor and pad job coming up and I'll have the can of high temp paint out for the rotor hats anyway, so I find myself wondering if I should clean and paint the calipers too.

The question is partly aesthetics, but mostly, my real question for you guys is; Is this a waste of time because the rust will just come through the paint anyway in short order so what's the point. Whaddya think?

- R