This invention comprises guidewires, stents and other intraluminal devices having a performance enhancing coating deposited using physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Preferably, a radiopaque coating comprising platinum, tungsten, iridium, tantalum or the like is deposited on a desired portion of the device. Alternatively, the performance enhancing coating is a wear resistant coating of carbides such as tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, or nitrides such as titanium nitride.