07-23-2023, 09:26 PM
graylocks wrote:
I'm still suffering from PTSD from the Firestone 500 catastrophe in the late 70s. Can't bring myself to even consider them.
Amen. My new 1976 Buick Regal came w/ the exploding Firestone's from that era. Eventually five of those faulty sumbeyotches failed, three of 'em catastrophically at high speed. Ran Pirelli P77's after that.... until an uninsured driver, in an old Jaguar sedan, t-boned me while making an illegal left turn at a major Wilshire Blvd intersection.
We gave it the old college try, but the frame was irreparably bent, so after stripping all its goodies from it, I sold the beloved Regal to the local low-rider collective for $300. I saw it around town for a few years after that, but when it was on the road, you could see it never tracked right.
Alas, nary a Firestone after the final explsion, though we have used many Bridgestone's since, including those currently on our old Sienna dad-van..... that are on the soon-to-be-replaced list. They've got less than a year left on 'em no matter what; we replace after 8 years, regardless of wear or mileage.
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