Down here in Southern California, sorry to say this but you're basically a loser if you don't have a nice car. There are very few quality (meaning "hot") women that will date a guy who doesn't own a nice car, let alone not own any car.
I have a close friend of mine who drove an old 10+ year old beater car. He makes good money so I (as well as other friends) always bugged him to buy himself a shiny new luxury car. We kept telling him to buy a BMW so that he can get himself a gf. For years he kept saying "no, I don't want a superficial girl who will only date me if I have a nice car" or "I want a girl who will date me even with this car because then I know she truly loves me", etc...
Finally about 6 months ago he bought himself a nice Lexus. And lo and behold, 2 weeks later he found himself a nice girlfriend and they are still together now.
Of course he says that she's such a great gal that she have gone out with him regardless (and who knows, maybe it's true...she does seem like a nice girl), but the timing is just way too coincidental.
I can hear it already...girl calling Dr. Laura saying "my bf lives in a 1 bedroom apartment and doesn't own a car so he rides his bike everywhere"...lol.
Anyway, fun.