If you are new to 3D modeling, then you will eventually want to render what you model and that may become your most important question at that time. Carrara has an excellent render engine and shading system for the price - or really for any price. It does have a few needed functions that the big boys have but they are somewhat specialized functions. Yet since you do say that cost is secondary, I would take a serious look at Cinema 4D as it is said to be the easiest and most powerful 3d complete program to learn from the beginning. (Carrara is not acknowledged for it's native modeler - even tho many do well with it and have for years.) Cinema also has an add-on facility (a plug-in) to get Poser models in and out which works very well... from Robert Templeton. Aalso, if price is secondary, I would look at MODO too. MODO will soon have a rendering engine of the first quality and its modeling ease is unequaled.

I am learning Carrara because it can do some wonderful atmospheric scenes. If I was primarily interested in modeling only, I'd look somewhere else. Try out some demos - especially Carrara 5. Once you get a feel for one 3D program, the others come a little bit easier.

Carara and Hexagon for modeling is a very good combo. Carrara and Silo is also very good.

good luck,
wb