We are just starting down the automation path with C# in Visual Studio. We have not started using CodedUI yet, but I expect we will get there.
I did use it for performance testing at a previous agency. It worked fine. I did use Fiddler to record some of the scripts as Microsoft Test Manager would not capture everything I needed. It was easy to import these into Visual Studio once recorded.
You do need some coding skills to make it useful. I used VB at the previous agency. We are using C# here.
We have used record and playback with both Microsoft Test Manager and in Visual Studio itself. After tests are recorded, they get turned into code that runs the tests. We have found that each recording should be small, i.e. one web page at a time or even two or more tests per page. The tool will not work on sites that have GUIDs. It also struggles with links that have Javascript behind them. While coding can get around this, you need someone with developer skills to do so.
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