From what I have read, the original Metacreations release of Carrara was rushed because they new of the impending sale of the software to other companies. Everything I have read said that Eovia's version fixed the bugs that were prevalent before. So that really shouldn't be the issue. I think Carrara offers a lot of bang for the bucks and I think that it is just a matter of getting used to the interface and different types of modeling for you to feel comfortable. You should also get a free copy of Amapi 5.4 with the software, which may suite your needs better. With 2 for one you can't loose.