Mercedes dashboard noises/warranty problems

[zuby84]

Hi, I have a S320 CDI (06/06) which is coming out of warranty on the 15th of this month. For about the last 5 months or so I've been having problems with the car making creaky/cracking noises. They usually come from the front of the cabin around the dash area. The car has been in at the workshop on numerous occasions and the problem gets better and worse but never goes away - it's come to the point where the speed cluster has about an inch of play (i.e. I can move it up/down/left/right an inch - its not fitting securely anymore probably because its been taken apart so many times). It's getting booked in again next week so we will see but is this a common problem and should it be able to get fixed or should I just give up now while I'm behind - 12 months down the line I don't want my car rattling like a kids toy because it's been taken apart so many times and as I'll be out of warranty I'll have to pay for the repairs.

Another thing is that as the warranty is running out, customer services and the dealership have told me that the work they are carrying out on the car is only warranted until the car is out of warranty so if they fix it on the 13th but the noises come back a week later - I will be out of warranty and they will only look at a possible repair on a goodwill basis (which doesn't leave me with much confidence). Anyway, is this right or does the dealer have to provide some sort of guarantee that the work they are doing to my car now is up to scratch.

Any help appreciated - I just know I'm going to be left in the lurch by MB once the warranty is out so want to make sure of my rights. I've enquired about an extended warranty by MB but they want £1500 for it and it doesn't cover interior trim so it's not much use.

[paoloh]

Any work the dealer carries out should come with its own 12 month warranty IMO