You're welcome!
Try using your HT outside and see if you can hit those repeaters. Do you have a higher gain antenna for your HT, such as the Nagoya 771G?
It sound like you are in Westchester, and if so Topanga (Saddle Peak) may be your best best to gain access.
I actually like that repeater and when Kevin @w6wko was in his pre-amateur license days, and I were attempting to find stable communications between my location and his up over the Angeles National Forrest into Santa Clarita/Canyon Country, we discovered this repeater worked nicely for both of us.
If you go the base station route: I am a big fan of the Radioddity DB20-G, which out of the box is an 18 watt, mini-mobile (fits in the palm of your hand), cigarette lighter plug for power and slap a $29 mag mount on the car and you're mobile! Costs about $109 depending upon the deals being offered at the time of purchase.
I have two!