Our Verdict
While the Firestone Credit Card* might seem like a good way to finance emergency car repairs and save on tire changes and car maintenance, it falls short when it comes to rewards and benefits. Its most appealing feature is the six-month deferred interest financing promotion which is effectively a 0% interest loan if paid off within the six month period. But given the limited rewards program, we’d only recommend this card to loyal Firestone customers who need financing and who anticipate frequent expensive car repair and maintenance expenses.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Exclusive Firestone offers and discounts
- Six-month deferred interest promotional financing on eligible purchases
- 5% discount on your first purchase
Cons
- Store card version of the card is only accepted only at Firestone stores and other participating retailer locations
- High-risk deferred interest offer
- Limited rewards program
Highlights
- Promotional financing on purchases of $149 and up for the first six months (but remember that this only works if you pay in full and on time within that period).
- Firestone Credit Card holders get access to exclusive monthly deals and coupons.
- $0 annual fee: You won’t have to pay to keep your account open and get access to exclusive cardholder deals and coupons
- New cardholders get 5% off the first purchase after opening an account
- The Firestone Credit Card can be used at any of the 1,700-plus Firestone Complete Auto Care locations.
Introduction
The Firestone Credit Card* is designed for loyal Firestone customers who want to finance expensive car repairs and who can benefit from exclusive deals on in-store Firestone purchases and a Firestone-centric rewards program. From that perspective, it does what it sets out to do, but that’s as far as it goes in terms of value.
Firestone offers two versions of their branded credit card—a store card which can only be used at Firestone stores and a Mastercard which can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted. There is a single application for both cards. The issuer, Credit First National Association Bank (CFNA), based on an assessment of the applicant’s credit history, decides which card to issue should the applicant be approved.
The main incentives of the card are the six-month deferred interest financing offer for participating retailer purchases of $149 or more and exclusive monthly deals and coupons. Unfortunately, even the financing offer isn’t as good as it seems. The interest is merely deferred, meaning that it will be added to your balance retroactively if you don’t pay off the purchase in full within the six-month period. This is different from how traditional 0% intro APR cards work.
The Firestone Credit Card*’s rewards program is limited in that rewards can only be redeemed as a statement credit after making a purchase at a Firestone store or participating locations. So unless you have a lot of high-dollar car repairs coming up, you’re better off choosing an alternative card with a lower APR and a better, broader rewards program.
Featured Partner Offers
Quick Facts
- Six-month promotional financing on purchases of $149 and up at Firestone stores and participating retailers
- No annual fee
- 5% off the first purchase after opening an account
- Store card can only be used at Firestone Complete Auto Care locations and other participating automotive retailers while the Mastercard version can be used anywhere that accepts Mastercard
- Exclusive Firestone deals and coupons
- Purchases earn rewards that can be redeemed at Firestone stores and participating retailers
Firestone Credit Card Rewards
Earning Rewards
Firestone’s rewards program is called myCFNA Rewards. Cardholders of both the Firestone store card and Mastercard earn points on purchases at Firestone stores and participating retailers. The number of points earned per dollar is determined by a tiered schedule based on annual Firestone credit card spending.
- Tier 1: Spend less than $1,250 per year
- Tier 2: Spend between $1,250 and $2,499.99 per year
- Tier 3: Spend $2,500 or more per year
Tier 1 and 2 customers earn 3 points per dollar spent at Firestone stores and partner retailers, while Tier 3 customers earn 4 points per dollar.
Firestone Mastercard cardholders earn an additional 2 points per dollar at gas stations and other automotive retailers and 1 point per dollar everywhere else.
Tier 2 and 3 cardholders can earn additional points on their birthday and through special Double Points events.
Redeeming Rewards
Each myCFNA point is worth 1 cent. When a total of 1,000 points is earned, the points are automatically redeemed for a $10 myCFNA reward which is applied as a statement credit to the next purchase at a Firestone store or participating retailer. Rewards expire six months after they are issued.
Tier 2 and 3 customers can bank their points and redeem for an award whenever they want to use it, thereby avoiding the automatic redemption and reward expiry.
Rewards Potential
Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to determine baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage earners brings in $118,438 annually and we base our sample household spending on that number.
The average U.S. household has two vehicles, each driven approximately 13,476 miles per year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that maintenance and repair costs are about 9.83 cents per mile. That works out to an average of $2,649 in car maintenance and repair costs for the average family.
The first $2,500 of this spending would earn 3 points per dollar while the remaining $149 would qualify for Tier 3 on the Firestone card which is 4 points per dollar, earning a total of 7,996 myCFNA points annually.
Based on Forbes Advisor’s estimates, our sample household spends $3,562 at gas stations which translates to 7,124 points at an earning rate of 2 points per dollar.
Forbes Advisor estimates that an additional $33,126 can reasonably be charged to a credit card in non-bonused categories which would earn 33,126 points. The total myCFNA points earned by our sample household would be 48,246 which is equivalent to $482.46 in rewards that can be used at Firestone stores or participating retailers.
Firestone Credit Card Benefits
- Discount on your first purchase. New cardholders receive 5% off the first purchase after opening an account.
- Interest-free financing. Users receive interest-free financing on purchases of $149 or more at participating retailers for six months (cardholders must meet the minimum monthly payment and pay in full within six months to avoid paying interest).
- Exclusive offers. Cardholders get access to in-store discounts, coupons and deals at Firestone.
- Rewards. Cardholders can earn up to 4% back in myCFNA rewards on purchases made at Firestone stores and participating retailers. Mastercard cardholders can earn rewards on all purchases.
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 29.99% fixed APR (store card), 26.99% variable APR (Mastercard)
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Balance transfer fee: N/A
- Foreign purchase transaction fee: See Terms
How the Firestone Mastercard Stacks Up
Firestone Credit Card* vs. Discount Tire Credit Card*
The main draw of the Firestone Credit Card* is its six-month deferred interest financing offer and automotive discounts or repairs, but depending on your location and where you get your car serviced, there are other auto-specific cards available. The Discount Tire Credit Card* also offers a $0 annual fee, $0 liability on fraud transactions and exclusive deals for users. But while the Firestone financing offer is limited to six months, Discount Tire’s introductory financing can last up to 12 months depending on the total purchase amount.
This financing period might make it a better option if you’re looking for a card specifically targeted at car repairs and maintenance and need a longer repayment period. However, the Discount Tire Credit Card* does not have a rewards program and is strictly a store card so can only be used at Discount Tire locations plus approximately 200,000 gas stations nationwide. So unless you are in need of a longer financing period, the more widely accepted Firestone Credit Card* would be more beneficial.
Firestone Credit Card* vs. Goodyear Credit Card*
The Goodyear Credit Card* has a $0 annual fee and a promotional financing offer for six months (although this starts at purchases of $250 which is higher than Firestone). However, the Goodyear Credit Card* is limited in use to Goodyear stores nationwide and at Exxon or Mobil gas stations.
Unlike the Firestone Credit Card* the Goodyear Credit Card* lacks a rewards program. The Firestone Credit Card* also outshines Goodyear with its introductory 5% discount and its deferred interest offer. If you are looking for an auto repair specific credit card and Firestone locations are convenient for you, the Firestone Credit Card* is a better choice.
Firestone Credit Card* vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
In general, most people are better off choosing a straight cash-back card instead of a single purpose card if their credit score is in the good range and they can qualify. The no annual fee Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases and offers eligible new cardmembers a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Rewards do not expire.
Cardholders also get a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies. So even if you had a large car repair bill coming up, you could finance it at 0% for the first 15 months as compared to only six months with the Firestone Mastercard. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a better choice for most people when considering both risk management and rewards.
Is the Firestone Card for You?
The Firestone Credit Card* could be appealing for someone who anticipates expensive car maintenance or repair and can make full use of the financing offer by paying off eligible purchases during their promotional period. For anyone else, a general cash-back credit card such as the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card would make more sense, considering the Firestone rewards program has limited earning capacity and rewards can only be redeemed within Firestone stores and participating retailers. Still, Firestone is probably the best choice among the other auto repair specific credit cards we compared it with, particularly if you can get approved for the Mastercard version which can be used everywhere.
Find the Best Credit Cards for 2024
No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:
- Annual fees
- Welcome bonus offers
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points or miles
- Included travel or merchant credits
- Additional cardholder benefits
Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors come together to provide a star rating for each individual card.
To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on how Forbes Advisor rates credit cards.
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Firestone Credit Card, Discount Tire Credit Card, Goodyear Credit Card. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
