Before You Come to Caltech

Buying and Renting an Automobile

Disclaimer: The information provided in this web site is for general information only. Caltech does not endorse or recommend any of the organizations mentioned on the web site. The information provided is also non-exhaustive. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please feel free to contact us.

 

The Caltech Travel Office has some agreements with rental car companies.

Remember: International driver licenses can be used in California for automobile rental, and is valid for driving a rental car only..

The experience of purchasing a car is both exciting and a hassle; it’s also a big expense. Before buying a car, it is beneficial to conduct research to determine the value and price of the car you are thinking of purchasing. If you buy a used car, the seller must provide you with a current smog certificate within 30 days. You will need to take this certificate to the Department of Motor Vehicles and pay a fee to register the car.

For new cars, you may want to refer to the Red Book Fleet Discounts Purchase which lists the car companies' fleet discount prices for Caltech employees. The Red Book is available in the Human Resources front office.

For used cars, check out the following web sites:

Edmunds.com                                                                                                                          
The Recycler                                                                                                             
craigslist.org   (select cars+trucks)                                                                                                            
Kelley Blue Book   

Car companies also advertise their sales in local newspapers. Look under the "classified advertisement" section in Saturday and Sunday newspapers:
                                                                                                           
Los Angeles Times
Pasadena Star News

The American Automobile Association (AAA) offers a wide variety of services. They have walk-in vehicle pricing reports for their members and to non-members for a nominal fee.   

The Consumer Reports provide a comparison of cars, check out the Consumer Reports web site.