Autocad ??

Need to know what software to buy and where to buy from? I did a search and there is everything from a couple hundred bucks to around 11k. What is everyone using?

I use Autocad 2000 or newer.  It's really only for 2d, but can do 3d as well, however it isn't nearly as powerful with 3d as something like Unigraphics or solid edge or solid works.  

the ones i know of most are from autodesk, which are alias automotive, autocad 2008 or higher , inventor, then you have revit, solidworks .

i downloaded mine from autodesk the 2010 version. i didnt buy it i just got the trial version for around a year.

Most design software is not cheap as it looks like you've found out.  AutoCad LT from Autodesk is probably your best bet to start.  You used to be able to buy a student edition for around $150.  Otherwise the professional version is around $800.  Solidworks and Inventor are very nice tools if you can afford them, or if you can get access to them somehow.  Pro/E is probably the most powerful of the popular modeling software, but its overkill for the kind of stuff most people deal with and it is very expensive (Wildfire 4.0 is roughly around 30k), and it is a little cumbersome to use. If money weren't an object, I would go with Solidworks for a very powerful program that is still easy to use.

i work with autocad everydamn day...2010 version. I got 2009 at home.  But im a draftsman. I have designed a frame and truck on 3d but its probably easier on solidworks

I am going to school right now for mechanical drafting and we are learning on Pro-E.  I had no previous experience with any software so I guess I am kinda byas but I like pro-e so far.  I have also looked to try and find some cheap software so I can use it at home also and yeah, it's expensive.

I use solidworks...

I took an Intro to AutoCAD last semester, when you buy the book it comes with a student edition of the software, which means that if you were to ever print anything from the program it would have the words STUDENT EDITION across the center of it, but it works just like any professional edition would.  it only cost me like 200 for the textbook, which is an instruction manual with turoials already printed in it, and the program.

---------------------------------------------Originally posted by Inked84I took an Intro to AutoCAD last semester, when you buy the book it comes with a student edition of the software, which means that if you were to ever print anything from the program it would have the words STUDENT EDITION across the center of it, but it works just like any professional edition would.  it only cost me like 200 for the textbook, which is an instruction manual with turoials already printed in it, and the program.--------------------------------------------- hey you suck lol. i didnt get a student edition with my book. i took a autocad class in the fall of last year. we learned autocad 2010 i think. i cant remember lol. i know the book didnt match the software really. are program came on 4 dvds and it was around 5 r 6 thousand dollars if i remember right. it had invertior with it. i was working on a shop but didnt have time 2 finish it. you can get a student edition of autocad but from what i read on the autocad website u had 2 prove u was a student or something like that.