I don't doubt for a second that you've been negotiated down on a day rate, even if your quote was fair. Being a recording engineer for 18 years, I'm not sure I EVER got paid my fair and quoted rate (despite watching the label guys spend hundreds on sushi dinners - all recoupable from the artist!).
But unfortunately I have also witnessed (through TV/film production accounting department) scenarios where overspending happens, even on the same production that may be negotiating vendors rates down in other areas.
Maybe I'm totally off base here. But having seen apartments and cars (with monthly parking) rented in NYC for actors that will never see them - because they have also been rented estates in westchester and are carted by transpo every day, seems a little wasteful to me.
My point was, having seen some of this, I do not find it impossible to believe that a studio might pay what I, and possibly others on this board (the people that rattled off cheaper, competent rigs in this thread specifically), feel is a higher price than is absolutely necessary.
For the record: I'm not trying to stir up s#%t about this. I have known (and consider myself - albeit in a different industry) hard working crew members who provide good work. I've just seen some ridiculous crap get paid for.
Here's hoping that you get the next gig when you quote for a rig that can get the job done for less than $50k!