Bridgestone/Firestone offers "no payment for 6 months" plan on select tires

NASHVILLE (Jan. 5)—Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. is introducing a six-month "no payment, no interest" program for purchasers of Firestone- and Bridgestone-brand passenger and light truck tires through March. Bridgestone/Firestone is launching the program to "provide some relief" to consumers following the financial strains of the winter holiday season, the company said in a prepared statement. The program—effective through March 31—``(allows) drivers to have the tires they need now, instead of driving on those with little or no tread left until their finances improve," said Shu Ishibashi, executive vice president of the tire maker and president of the company´s U.S. Consumer Tire Group. Customers may purchase the tires at any participating Bridgestone/Firestone dealers or company-owned stores. The no payment option does not apply to customers in Arizona or North Carolina, where a minimum monthly payment is required by law.