Cold and Car-less (for a couple days..)

Sorry I've been away, I've been pouting. My stupid truck broke down outside of Macy's Friday night at the same time I was supposed to be picking up Matt from a dance. What did we ever did without cell phones??? Called Guy to come and check it out, called a friend to go get Matt. Called AAA for a tow. It was the starter, but we didn't know that yet.. Had it towed to my mechanic whom I called first thing Saturday morning. He asks is it covered? Of course, Bill is away with Billy for the weekend, so I have to slosh through all the paperwork and lo and behold we have MAJOR GUARD, so it is covered, but I have to take it to a GM dealership. By this time, my guy is closed for the weekend, so have to wait til Monday morning to tow the vehicle from my place to a GMC place. Grrrrrrrr......... SO ANYWAY, got it back yesterday but while it was there it needed more work (this is a 2004 GMC Envoy.. not an old clunker yet) because I had never taken it in for the 30,000 mile checkup because I was too busy moving 3 times and building a house and living with my in-laws and worrying about my father.... whew... breathe....

SO I'm $700.00 poorer, (yes 700 dollars) but I have my car back. :)

Question: Do you all take your vehicles to the dealer or to your own mechanic? And do you think they are out to "rip you off" and are all these things they do necessary? I just did them because they told me too but why didn't my regular mechanic tell me to do these things? Just curious. I'm vehicle-impaired.