Cheap Firestone Tires: SUV, Truck And Discount Car Tires

Longtime maker of wheels, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is a popular manufacturer of car tires. Founding the company in Akron, Ohio, in 1900, Harvey Firestone didn't waste time in making a name for himself. He already had friends in high places, namely Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, but aside from some shared ideas on camping trips, Firestone had only himself to thank when the company started to take off. Like Edison, Firestone can take credit for a few inventions. The first temporary spare tire was a Firestone, as was the first low-pressure truck tire and the first balloon tire.

Firestone offers over 20 types of tires for midsize cars and full-size SUV's. From the Firehawk GT and SZ50 performance tires to FR480 and FR690 passenger wheels, the array of Firestone tires shows the company striving to provide their consumers with variety and choice along with quality. From $56 for an FR480 Firestone tire to $136 for the Firehawk LH, customers can choose what features are important to them and aren't forced to sacrifice crucial benefits to cut costs. The FR480 – one of Firestone's cheap tires – is designed to make it resistant to hydroplaning, wear and slipping in snowy conditions, while offering a quiet ride the whole way.

Firestone tires are outfitted not only on cars and SUVs, but trucks as well. Using the now-standard radial tire design, Firestone truck tires are suited for urban and regional driving as well as long distance hauls. Some Firestone tires, like the FD663 and the FD690, could be used for regional and long distance. Firestone's long distance steer truck tires, like the F590, feature straight groove to allow water to pass through, making it easier to get traction on wet roads. Firestone tires, like the F590, also comes with Firestone's patented Ulti-Rib design to prevent irregular wear.

Firestone tires boast Uni-T (Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire) technology, which consists of several variations on designs aimed at improving the driving experience. Basically, Firestone tires with Uni-T make driving more comfortable and reduce noise and wear while increasing fuel efficiency. Firestone tires with Unit-T feature Long Link Carbon, which extends the tire's lifespan, and the O-Bead design, which improves handling stability and driving on straight-aways.

High technology doesn't necessarily equal high prices. Knowing their drivers have varying budgets, Firestone offers many discount tires. The Firehawk GT performance tire runs over $100 easily, but can be found as low as $59, brand new. Another one of Firestone's cheap tires, the Firestone Indy 500, is priced at $55 with blackwall design. Their discount tires are even more affordable after Firestone experienced some well-publicized corporate problems.

While a widely recognized tire brand, Firestone tires haven't had a flawless record. In 1978, 7 million defective Firestone tires were recalled, mainly of the Firestone 500 variety. This was the largest recall in history at that point. In  2000, the quality of Firestone tires was being questioned in the news again. TV station KHOU ran a story about 20 car crashes, all involving the Firestone tires on Ford vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began evaluating the slew of complaints they received about Firestone's SUV tires after the story broke. In August 2000, Ford and Firestone announced a voluntary recall, which resulted in a third of shareholders letting go of their stock in Firestone tires. Firestone has since  issued recalls in 2006 to take back faulty SUV tires.

Eponymous shops exist to provide tire service for owners of Firestone tires. Most are open seven days a week – some of which even operate 24 hours a day – and offer emergency repair service. Almost 1,500 Firestone Complete Auto Care stores are accessible across America. Further optimizing the convenience factor for car owners, these stores offer the option of making an appointment online.


Sources:
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Firestone Indy 500 with Uni-T. The Tire Rack. 2007. 6 June 2007.
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