Speed modifier here:
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=354281 You could try editing the Options.ini file in \Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 as it has the in game settings recorded to it, but I've never changed it this way and couldn't tell you if it works.
Or you could try going on up to 1.4. According to the change long, it only fixes a problem with uninstalling that occurred in 1.3, but you might as well get the latest anyway. Your problem may have been caused by something else entirely.