Hi Shaun,

> So my real concern comes down to where to spend money on 3D software that costs $1000 or
> less and the rest on hardware. I forgot to mention I need to import DWG files some how.

The DWG import makes it quite a bit more complex, often times that particular thing is not a focus area for animation and poly modeling software. If you wanted something that definitely included that you could be looking at just Autodesk stuff.

Maybe something low cost like ViaCAD could work as a translator for that DWG part along with something else though.

From what you described for general poly modeling, rendering, and animation I'd guess maybe Modo or Cinema4D might fit.

- Michael