That is because over the years, shops have conditioned the owners to
thinking that the "annual" (which is nowhere defined WITHOUT the word
"inspection" attached) is the time to cover the owner's vacation in Hawaii
with a bit put aside for the kid's college fund. It would appear that you
have been so conditioned.

I dunno. I have never to my knowledge been ripped off during
the-thing-I-call-an-annual. My most recent one was $800,
and that's pretty average. I don't think the mechanic is
going to Hawaii on this money.

Our airport only has the one mechanic, and the next closest
airport with a mechanic is fifty miles away. We pilots
and this mechanic know each other well, and every pilot
I've talked to who has used him has been reasonably happy
or better.