Blowers, and everyone else too . . .
The tyre pressure sticker on the fuel filler flap is just "recommended" tyre pressures, and do not form part of Moses 10 commandments.
These are set for Mr and Mrs Average (weight), driving on average roads, with an average driving style. Furthermore, they are an average pressure to cope with the different range of tyres (from different manufacturers) that may be fitted. Finally, they are an average compromise between handling performance, comfort, and economy.
OK, it is very, very wise advice to
always start with the "recommended" pressures, and run the car for at least 500 miles to allow the tyre treads to "bed-in". However, you are perfectly free to "tweak" the pressures to your own particular preferences. A word of caution, though - I would strongly advise on not going any more than 3 or 4 psi below the recommended setting, due to excessive heat build up, and the very real risk of blow-outs. Increasing from the recommended - then the sky is your limit, though I would recommend stopping at 50psi on a car!
When checking tyre pressures, do NOT use a garage airline, as these are notoriously unreliable. Invest in a quality PCL type pencil gauge, or a quality round dial or digital type, and only use that. Also, do not check your pressures if you have driven the car, nor if the tyres have been baked in the sun. Ideally, the best time to check your pressures is first thing in the morning, before you drive to work/shops/nursery (gotta put that last one in there, to keep the fairer sex happy!
).
If you do feel the need to make your own personal tweaks, try to increase (or deacrease) in steps of about 4psi at a time - and give it at least another 500 miles before confirming if the adjustment is OK for you. If you do find a revised setting you are happy with, then make sure you write it down (on a business card or sommat), and keep it handy, ideally with the handbooks. Finally, when the car goes in for servicing - TELL them not to alter your preferred tyre pressures.
Once you have reached your own "adjusted" tyre pressures, every 1000 miles or so, carefully measure the tread depth, across the entire width of the tread, with a proper tyre tread depth gauge - just to make sure they are wearing evenly.
Another issue, you may feel the need merely to tweak the front tyre pressures, and leave the rears as standard - which is also fine. If anyone wishes for further detailed advice on how to set up tyre pressures, then ask away!
One point on the "legal" issue - tyres only need to be "adequately inflated", therefore, pressures again do not need to match the recommeded pressures.
Onto the comfort issue. Blowers, you mention that you have Conti SportContact2s - unfortunately, these are well known to produce quite a harsh ride at slow speeds. However, on the flip-side, they are truely rock-solid (stability wise) at extremely high autobahn speeds. Unfortunately, until they wear out, you will probably have to put up with them. However, come time to change your boots, then either Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, or if you are less Michael Shumacher, and more Micheal Winner in your driving style, Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 give a noticeably softer ride than your Contis.
