Tires: Spare Tire issue, buick skylark, buick dealer

Question
Hi,

I just bought a 1985 Buick Skylark for my 16 year pold son and the car didn't come with a spare tire for the trunk. Please tell me the following:
What and where would be the cheapest way to pick up a RIM for this car? I know that I can then get a tire later to put on this rim.
It's a 13" tire.
Finally, are the rims standard? I mean.....a 13" rim is a 13" rim, correct?

Thanks Much!


Tom B.

Answer
Tom,

It is quite likely that the spare tire was a minispare.  Unfortunately I don't know what size the spare was, but I'll bet a Buick dealer can find out by looking it up in his parts list.

Another way to do this is through a junkyard..er..auto recycling center.  I'll bet they'll have not only a list, but a rim as well.  

And I am reasonably sure a good (emphasis on the word good) tire dealer can handle this as well.

The tire is a whole different story.  

Tires get old and it is my opinion that anything older the 10 years ought to be off the road. I'll grant an excetion for spare tires, but on the condition that they were not laying out in the sun.  So I would be very cautious about a tire from a junkyard

And getting a spare tire from a dealer could be a bit problematic for a vehicle that old.

Hope this helps.