Clear your pre-conceived notion that the simulator is a game. It's whatever YOU make of it. If you approach it with the mindset that it's a game, it will be a game. If you treat it as a serious training tool, you can learn a LOT and avoid spending a lot of time and money repairing and replacing models.

Lots of people have learned on simulators and managed to fly for a long time before crashing. Your original post is a good sign that you can benefit from some time on a sim. Imagine if all those crashes had been on a sim. How much money and time could you have saved?

A simulator is just a tool. How you use it is up to you.