I've always wanted to do some 3D modeling and now that my PC is powerful enough to run these programs I've decided to ask you guys what you use to produce quality models.
Google Sketchup is the easiest to work with, but the hardest to make the model useable for say, Freelancer.
Blender is free, nearly as good as 3DS Max, and harder to use than sketchup, but easier to convert for Freelancer.
3DS is expensive as hell (and illegal to pirate shshshsh), powerful, difficult to learn, and it was the same program used for the original Freelancer models if I recall.
I recommend Blender if you want to learn something that can be turned into a life skill (you can sell models on the Blender website for cash, believe it or not)
Generally i use Maya 2013. For detailed objects which would be too complex and time consuming for Maya, i use CATIA V5 and import my work in Maya. It's hard for beginners but it is worth to learn it. I love Maya.