Keith
Carrara is a fine texturing and rendering app. And, especially, one of the easiest to learn.
I suggest you not even consider another general 3D app untill you are fully conversant with it and, are aware of the full range of options included in it, and budget price plugins available fot it. (Some real frights when you find out what the "big" apps don't include in the basic price!)

Nice to see the great quick modelling that is being done on this thread.
Brian