My 77 did not come with a spare from the factory. There was a note in the dealer invoice that said a spare will be provided when they become available. I think there was some sort of tire shortage at the time.
As for modern driving, I never worried about having one in the car. Until, a couple of years ago I was heading to a all Pontiac show in Lancaster, about an hour away. About a quarter mile or less from the show field was a very nice 69 firebird sitting on the side of the road with a shredded rear tire. I felt bad passing by but figured there was nothing I could do to help. After that I got a new tire on a spare rim and carry it with me. Like Rich, I bought a small floor jack from TSC that I carry back there as well as a lug wrench. It pretty much takes up all of the room in the trunk but I dont carry anything else back so what the heck.
I had a flat in my work truck and the spare was flat as well. I try to keep up on the spares now with all the vehicles. New or good tires dont make a difference. An object in the road doesnt care what condition the tire is in.
I also have premium AAA for a bit of peace of mind, but the couple of times it was needed ended up being a bust.
