Hey steve.......no problem! I don't mind helping people at all when it comes to airplanes or computer
The computers have always been kind of like a second hobby for me. I enjoy sitting back on a crappy weather day , and maybe play some games. the computers have come along ways , and i mean a LONG ways since your last computer was built . ( check the picture below by the way......that's what we see now playing on a high end computer) Like i was saying , the sims are very easy too run , in fact , i don't probably use more than about 5-8% of my CPU or video playing a sim.....very easy on the hardware.
Now........Craigs list is kind of like ebay i guess. Well...i take that back , not really like ebay where you bid on things , it's like a HUGE ( and i mean GIGANTIC) garage sale. What is , is that there are tons of people on there that have things they want to sell or get rid of , and most of the time , they need money real fast. So you can find some deals on there that would blow your mind. In fact , my little brother just picked up a used ( 4 month old) 52" 1080i high defibition LCD TV , that cost about $2800.00 new. My brother got it from a guiy who needed money fast because of a baby coming. He got it for $1050.00.
Also..the way craigs list works is , you go to your state or near by state and city , and then type in what you are looking for. It'll show you a ton of listings for what your looking for. Don't just jump on the first good one you see. Give it a couple weeks and keep your eyes open for some really good deals that pop up. Just for instance here is the local craigs list from the portland OR area by where i live. Click on this link and you can see what's available really close to me. check these out just for an exampl>>>>>
1.)
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/sys/497624703.html
2.)
http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/sys/496090411.html
3.)
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/sys/493972219.html
Now all three of those would make a sim run really well. I would think about getting a complete system since yours is that old. I'm not sure what type of case you have , but it might be "absoulete" by now. Check out craigs list in your area. The real good thing is , that you usually write the guy and email , or call him. Go meet some where , and if you like the computer , then you buy it. I got the computer i'm typing this on right now for $625.00 from a young kid off of craigs list. He told me he had it built about 3 weeks prior , and needed money bad. I checked his receipts and he had about $1100.00 into it. I haven't built my big gaming rig yet , and needed one so i bought it.
anyways...great deals on craigs list , check em' out steve.