Firestone Credit Card: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you a car owner who regularly foots the bill for vehicle repairs? Then the Firestone credit card might just be what you’re looking for to cut costs on those pricey maintenance purchases. Tailored mainly for the regulars at Firestone, this CFNA credit card might not catch the eye of the occasional car owner.

The Firestone credit card offers a bunch of benefits, but it’s not without its hurdles and gray areas. Keep reading to find out how it works, what its features are, as well as what advantages it may offer you.

Understanding the Firestone Credit Card

Firestone has two credit card options for users — a store-branded card, which can only be used at Firestone points of sale, partner locations, and other participating stores, and a Mastercard version, which can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Both cards offer various rewards, have a mobile application, and provide no-annual-fee service.

To qualify for a Firestone card, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be over 18 years of age;
• Provide documentation of your annual income;
• Have a fair to good credit score (a standard requirement for most credit cards).

The issuer reviews the application and, based on an analysis of the applicant’s credit history and assessment of creditworthiness, decides whether to approve it and which card to issue.

In practice, it is easier to obtain a private-label Firestone card — there are less stringent requirements for its registration. As a cardholder, you can earn rewards on purchases and receive bonuses for payments at Firestone locations, which you can then convert into money and spend on car repair and maintenance. You can manage your credit card account conveniently through the mobile app 24/7 — you can check your balance, make payments, view your transaction history, and so on.

The Firestone CFNA card is instantly available, which makes it an excellent solution for urgent repairs, but this is far from the only advantage of this financial tool.

The Firestone Credit Card’s Benefits

Firestone credit cards offer a variety of exclusive advantages, especially when it comes to Firestone products and services. The card is most beneficial if you frequently make high-value purchases at Firestone, so if you’re already a customer you can save quite a lot of money without changing your spending habits.

New cardholders save 5% on their first purchase and earn up to 4% in rewards when they spend at Firestone locations. The Mastercard option provides some additional benefits, such as 2% cash back in rewards on fuel and 1% cash back anywhere you can pay with your Mastercard.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the card is its six-month deferred interest Firestone financing offer, which is essentially an interest-free loan for up to half a year. The Firestone credit card also offers clients discounts on services, exclusive deals, and special coupons.

Both the store-branded Firestone card and the Firestone Mastercard version provide a rewards program divided into three levels. The cardholder tier is based on points earned and annual card spendings.

1. Passenger (level 1). Tier 1 cardholders spend less than $1,250 per year and earn 3% back in rewards for spending at Firestone locations.
2. Driver (level 2). Tier 2 cardholders spend between $1,250 and $2,500 per year and also earn 3% back, but have access to additional perks such as holiday rewards and double point events.
3. Adventurer (level 3). Tier 3 cardholders spend over $2,500 per year and get 4% back in rewards, plus all the additional benefits from the previous tier.

While Firestone credit card benefits are indeed clear, interesting, and valuable in some scenarios, the rewards system is quite complex, and sometimes, it makes more sense to consider alternative credit cards.

The Firestone Credit Card’s Drawbacks

Despite the good pack of benefits, Firestone cards come with certain limitations and disadvantages, such as above-average annual interest rates — a fixed annual rate of 29.99% (for the store-branded card) and a variable annual rate of 26.99% (for the Mastercard version). Potential cardholders should also mind the fees for missed or late payments (up to $41) and inability to use private-label cards anywhere but Firestone service points.

Overall, the Firestone credit card will not be a win-win solution for those users who don’t visit the provider frequently. Such customers will not receive enough benefits for the bonuses received to cover the annual fees.

Additionally, rewards received under the program can only be used as a statement credit after spending at Firestone, so unless you plan to pay for expensive car repair or maintenance, you can consider other credit cards with easier terms and a more extensive rewards program.

Final Thought

In our Firestone credit card review, we’ve discussed the main characteristics of this financial tool. In general, we can conclude that this card is a great option only for those who already spend a lot on car repairs and maintenance and are regular Firestone clients. For other car owners, this card is unlikely to be of value, and it would be more reasonable to consider alternative offers with more flexible, simpler, and more extensive reward options.

If you choose to check out all the benefits of the Firestone credit card, we suggest you go for the CFNA Mastercard version.

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