Simulators are one of the best tools out there. While they are no substitute for an instructor, they ARE a great way to practice your hand/eye coordination.

Think about it - You go to the field with your instructor, get maybe 3 or 4 flights in (if you're lucky), then you go home and think about what you learned until next week's lesson (Providing it doesn't rain next week)

OR...

You go to the field with your instructor, get  3 or 4 flights in, then you go home and practice what you learned for a week.

As for what kind to get, they are all good. They have slight differences from each other, but you really can't say that any one is better than the other. Personally, I don't think anyone NEEDS the super high-end graphics of the expensive SIMs, but they ARE nice to look at. So if money is an issue, you can just buy one of these:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...XSJR9&P=ML

And download the FMS flight simulator for free. (Note: FMS does not work with Windoze Vista - but then, what DOES?  )