Pretty good post (I must admit I only skimmed it, and you forgot the worst part of the science career in GTW, as soon as your sim changes career or retires you immediately lose all ability to use the science objects you may have bought home).
If you're not married to the graphics of TS4 (so to speak) you really should try TS2, it has incredibly depth of gameplay far superior (IMO) to that of TS3 & 4 combined.
-Little children running out to greet their parents as they return from work, or running into the house joyfully waving a report card if they got a good grade, or quietly tearing up said card if they didn't.
-Babies that could be washed in the sink or changed at a changing table.
-Relationships that were hard to make but very rewarding for your sims, or could even be unrequited IE your sim loves another person, but that person doesn't care for your sim.
-Memories that don't fade after a few days allowing your sim to still sigh or express sadness about a loved ones death sim years after it happened.
-Emotions that don't need to be annouced but are actually displayed in a sims behaviour, so your sim will be moping about if sad, dancing reservedly if shy or going commando if outgoing.
-A gossip function that actually does something (a relative with a good relationship observing the partner of another relative cheating, can and probably will choose to inform on them, causing the cheated upon relative to react as if they themselves had witnessed it).
-Sickness that actually has consequences for your Sims including death.
-Chance Cards that can either greatly reward or harshly punish your sim at their chosen career (or you can elect to ignore them).
-And so much more.
