I think the OP is a New Yorker so that's what he is used to. For what it is worth, I'm a local and I would definitely take the 302 bus to Sunset rather than drive and try to find parking. But I'm one of those "weird" people in LA that actually has a bus pass in my wallet... The only thing that will sway me towards driving from LAX to Sunset is if I have a lot of luggage, even then, the decision comes down to whether or not I'll need a car for the rest of my visit as opposed to just trying to get to Sunset. If the OP has a short trip, taxi is better than driving. You can easily triple your rental car expenses in valet parking in LA.