Is the Firestone Credit Card Worth It?

If you frequently get work done on your car, whether it’s changing your brakes or getting a new engine, the Firestone credit cards may help you save money. Consumers can earn up to four points per dollar spent at Firestone Complete Auto Care locations after opening a Firestone credit card. Cardholders can convert points to put toward their next auto repair.

For the average car owner, a Firestone card is unlikely to be more useful than a solid rewards or cash back credit card. Read on to learn more about how the cards work and other options you can consider.

The Credit First National Association offers two versions of the Firestone credit card: a Mastercard, which you can use anywhere in its network, and a closed-loop version, which you can only use at Firestone Complete Auto Care locations.

Neither charges an annual fee.

Both cards offer six months of deferred interest on purchases of $149 or more. Keep in mind that if you don’t pay for your purchase in full by the deadline, you will be charged retroactively for all the interest that has been silently adding up since the day of purchase.

The credit cards are linked to the myCFNA Rewards Program. The rewards are separated into three tiers:

The Firestone Mastercard version of the card also offers two points for every dollar spent on fuel and other automotive purchases and one point for every dollar spent on all other purchases where Firestone Mastercard is accepted.

Auto repairs costs can be big – and unexpected. The Wells Fargo Reflect Card offers a 0% intro APR for the first 21 months and a potentially competitive variable APR thereafter. Compared with the Firestone card, this card would give you more time to pay off the expense, and even if you are still carrying an unpaid balance at the conclusion of the promotion, you will only be charged interest on the remaining balance. The Wells Fargo card doesn’t charge an annual fee, but take note that it doesn’t offer a rewards program.

This card can also be a good option for financing a pricey auto repair. The Citi Custom Cash Card offers a 0% introductory APR for 15 months, which gives you time to pay off a big auto repair expense without interest. After the intro period, the card’s ongoing APR ranges from 18.99% to 28.99% (variable), based on your creditworthiness.

On top of that, charging a large auto repair bill can help you to receive the card’s $200 sign-up bonus. To qualify, you must spend $1,500 or more within six months of opening the account.

While the card doesn’t have rewards specifically for auto repair, it does offer rewards for everyday spending. You can earn 5% back on your top spending category during a billing cycle, up to $500. Eligible categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment. All other purchases earn an unlimited 1% cash back.

You can avoid interest charges on a deferred interest balance by paying the balance in full before the promotion ends. If you do not pay off the full balance within the six months, you will be charged the interest from the first day of your qualifying purchase.

You can cancel your card by calling CFNA’s customer service line at 800-321-3950 or in writing to CFNA, BK-11/Customer Service, P.O. Box 81315, Cleveland, OH 44181-0315.