[TopherTW]

I am in a similar boat and also in FL. I rented a Hyundai Sonata to go down South to Lauderdal and...I have to say...I LOVED it. Now understand I am driving a GMC Jimmy 2000 that has recently been possessed by several demons I think....the car is really acting up. So maybe it was just the comfort of being in a car with <10K miles..not sure. But the tip I keep hearing if you are BUYING (not renting) a car for that range and a little higher ($12K is where I'm at) is: DO NOT BUY BRAND NEW. These cars depreciate instantly. I was told to try and find one at around 2 yrs old And preferably under 20K miles. I also have been looking into car reviews and it seems like the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camery, Honda Civic, Kia Sorento and the Nissan Sentra were in that sweet spot (without a lot of bells and whistles). They hold their value well but at 12K$ they all seem like good cars overall and within reach.

Good luck! Let me know how it goes for you.