Insist on it getting done under warranty? its a defective part. If there are any exceptions to warranty (VW used to only entertain a year for defective seat coverings) this wont be one of them. If the dealership is insistent then take your warranty/servicing business elsewhere.
I have emailed the service advisor I spoke to yesterday and pointed them to the forums where it quite clearly states that Buttons have been replaced under warranty.
Not a good day all round really, as they also told me my Service book was not in the glove box. Really weird, because I would never have removed it from the last time it was serviced... I have wondered if it has somehow fallen behind the glovebox - Anyone know if it easily removed ?
I agree about insisting on getting it done under warranty.
It would seem as though you have a bad dealer. I wonder if you were to pay for the part would they claim it as a warranty part and get paid twice.
As for the service book, was it not in the folder? If it was then I can't see it being lost down the back of the glovebox. Are you sure you had the service book? It is the first thing I look for when I pick up a new car and when I'm getting a car serviced I always bring the book into the dealers with me when I'm dropping the car off and make sure that it is noted in the paperwork that I have handed it to the person I'm dealing with. That way the book can't go disappearing or if it does we know it is the dealers fault.
I also have them do a full inspection of my car including miles and petrol/diesel to make sure they don't mess about with the car. Two reasons for that, one was back when I had my Mk4 R32 and I left it at the dealers for warranty repairs. Later the next day I was driving rather briskly when I had another car come up behind me and determined not to let him pass(I was a lot younger) put my foot down only to get smoked a few miles down the road by my own car.
The second thing was when I collected another car I noticed the fuel was really down in the car but the miles were the same, but when I checked the trip one duration it was at just under 6 hours so it would seem that they obviously liked the music on my iPod and used my car as their stereo for the day and rather than having to keep turning the system back on they just left the car running.
I personally find it very hard to trust a dealer nowadays.
What dealer are you using?