You would be much better off buying a used car to get you around LA. The best suggestion I have for you is to look at a SF Bay Area startup called Instamotor to help with your search. Using their service I was able to find decently priced options and eventually find the car for me. Instamotor is free to use and their process alleviates so much of the stress from buying a used car. I was able to connect with legit sellers avoiding the usual Craigslist scams and insane dealer ship up charge. They put all their cars through a multi-point mechanical inspection, gave me a free carfax, and handled the DMV transfer paperwork. They even found me a cheaper insurance premium and a financing plan that worked with my budget. In your scenario you could even use them to help you sell the car in 6 months if necessary. I'd suggest looking into a Prius, Camry, Corolla, or even a Malibu. I had a great experience with them and was very impressed with the service I received. Check out their website here
http://bit.ly/1hGs8R9