Consensus of opinion from www.rennlist.com is Pirelli P-Zero's or Bridgestone S-02's. I'm delighted with current P-Zero's, though may change to S-02's next time around. AmD chip & hot film? My C4 is booked in beginning of June -watch this space!!! Regards Melvin.

Do not mix and match. Remember the only thing between you and the road is that little contact patch of rubber! Putting 250bhp down on the road is no mean feat (or feet even!). Unfortunately spirited driving will knock out the rears on a 964 C2 far quicker than the fronts. If your tyres wear evenly front to back, YOUR`E JUST NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH ARE YOU DEAR.
Not sure if the wear pattern on a C4 is more evenly distributed, maybe Melvin or other C4 owners can comment? Would be interesting to hear comments on the merits or downsides of either variant.
The most popular tyres on 964`s seem to be Bridgestones or Pirelli`s. Most of the, shall we say, enthusiastic drivers, seem to gravitate towards P Zeros. These only really perform when warm or even warmer!! I managed to get 8,000 miles out of a set of rears which doesn`t sound good until you realise this took in two track days on Brands GP circuit, two track days at Goodwood, Snetterton, Spa (two days) and Jurby on the Isle of Man. The fronts still have about 4mm. and are wearing quite evenly. Sideways Syd

I was deeply disappointed with the handling on my '89 C4 after I had Bridgestone SO2s fitted all round, until I realised that the tyre fitter had put about 50 psi pressure (cold) in the rear tyres. I reduced it to 40, then 36, and found the handling improved greatly. It gradually got better as the tread wore down, until they felt as good as the old RE71s which were on there before. So, although Porsche recommend 44 psi in the rears, try experimenting with pressures, I know a lot of owners do. I wouldn't go under 36 on the rear, although I know of people who run 32 or less. I find wear on the C4 is about the same front and rear. I can make a set last 10,000 miles if I am careful and don't do track days. Best wishes Mark G

This is the sum of my experience and trusted information on tyres;1 Bridgestone S-02 Excellent all round ability 2 Pirelli P Zero Very good in the dry and wet but a bit tricky in damp conditions (more understeer than you expect and a bit twitchy under braking. They were on the 17'' rims, which I feel are over tyred at the rear for a C2) 3 Toyo Proxes Superb budget price tyre, very even performance 4 Goodyear Eagle F1 Stunning in the wet and damp but I am told they break away sooner in the dry 5 Fulda Not suitable for the 964 6 Yokohama Excellent all round but oddly I found they give poor grip on very cold, dry tarmac Good luck Winston

Having used both P-Zeroes and S-02`s there is a difference. The Pirelli P-Zero only really works when it gets warm so in normal every day driving they are not the best option. If the Porsche is only used at weekends to blow the cobwebs away and/or the occasional track day then the P-Zero route is for you. The Bridgestones are vey good in normal driving but give very good grip in the wet (plenty of that recently - roll on summer). I have also tried Yokohamas but find the Pirelli best for rapid cross country driving. The trouble is that each driver has his or her own driving style and preference. Also note that the 911`s, the 964 being no exception, have vastly adjustable settings for the suspension compared to most other road cars. Considering the cost of a set of tyres it is well worth paying to have the set up checked and adjusted by experts. £300.00 was mentioned and this seems excessive. Another 964 register member spent a fortune on his black cabriolet and reckoned that the £100.00 that he spent at Amd getting the suspension sorted was the best value for money. Speak to your local Porsche centre or specialist to get an idea of price and to find out exactly how important the set up can be. 911`s are very sensitive. A bit like some of their owners!! Happy motoring, Regards Sideways Sid - 13th March, 2001

For my money you can't beat the Bridgestone S-02 forget those P-Zeros! -- Steve W - 13th March, 2001

Tyre Pressures

Try 36 all round - I've been running 36 all round on 16" for years with even tyre wear and a slightly softer ride. Run 32 on track. These are all cold readings Melvin S - '89 911 C4

P Zero Asymetrical can be used all round. However, for normal road use, Asymetricos are used on the rear, and Direczionals on the front -the latter are designed to clear the way on a wet road for the rears. Tyre pressures? The only time I run Porsche recommended pressures are on long motorway journeys -should help with fuel consumption and when I'm not so concerned about grip. Generally I run 36 all round -gives a slightly softer ride and seem better for fast A & B roads. On track I run 32 all round, but have recorded high 40's on the rear when hot!! - Melvin S

16" definitely need 36/44. Only 17" are different at 36 all round - Dave B

Pirelli PZeros on 16 inches. Manual says 36 psi front and 44psi rear. Was told sometime ago the 44 is to high for rears. Encourages wear in centre of tyre. Any consensus here? Thanks, John M '89 C4 964.

12.3.01 - Owners manual for 16inch design 90 wheels says 2.5 front and 3.0 back - David K

12.3.01 - tyre pressures for a 964 with 17 inch cup wheels. tyres front 205x50 rear 255x40 should be 36 (2.5 bar) all round. 100% seen it in the holy book. No debate this is it, saw it with my own eyes - Antony S

Tyre Ratings and Insurance

Insurers are reluctant to pay out if they consider that you fail to adhere to the relevent Policy Conditions. However I am not aware of any Insurers who decline to deal with a valid claim, simply because the vehicle wasn't fitted with the recommended 'N' rated tyres. When a damaged vehicle is inspected by an Insurance Assessor the only checks that are normally undertaken are with regards to the general condition of the tyre - most importantly tread depth, I doubt whether Assessors and/or Insurers are aware or even understand the rating system.
I presently operate a company that deals with Motor Insurance Claims and recently took instructions to assist the owner of a 1997 Carrera 2S whose Insurers had declined to deal with the damage sustained following the loss of control on a very wet M-Way (Repair Costs approx £30k) After detailed enquiries were made it became apparant that all four tyres were illegal,ie less than 1.6 mm of tread depth across 75% of the footprint of the tyre.Despite my best efforts I was unable to persuade the Insurer (Royal Sun Alliance)to alter their decision.Clearly the owner failed to check his tyres on a regular basis or at all but in his defence the outer 25% of all four tyres had a depth of 3 mm, therefore when walking around the vehicle the tyres at first glance appeared ok. This message is sent therefore as warning as to the likely result if your tyres are found to both illegal and a factor in the circumstances of an accident!! - Mike F

12.3.01 - Stick with the N ratings. These are approved by and designed for Porsche with stiffer sidewalls. It is possible that if you have an accident with non N rated tyres, that a smart assessor may notice and invalidate the claim. THAT is why the 'other' Conti's are cheaper. Anyway Alberto, forget the Conti's and fit P Zero's!!!!!! - Melvin S