I see this has been discussed at length on other threads but I'd really like the definitive answer! Is it really worth trying to get the dealer it sort it out or is it something Mini owners just have to live with? On my car the noises have got steadily worse since I bought it new a year ago.

I suppose it depends how 'hands on' you are.
On my 2004 cooper i replaced the standard dash with the JCW
Carbon Fibre one. I used 1mm thick self adhesive felt on all the parts
that touched another plastic part, worked a treat, no more noise from the dash!!
Good luck!
Ade.

very difficult for the dealer to fix these built in noises, and more than likely the car will come back worse than it was when it went in.

really up to you !!

I've had a new dash put into my cooper - fixed most of the rattles but introduced some new ones.
Now have one in the central speedo which I'll fix myself when I retrofit the chromeline.

They couldn't find the rattle the 2nd time and fortunately didn't charge me for "wasting" their time. As soon as the mech was out of the car, he started rattling again. No doubt laughing to himself as he did it.

Unless I got a really bad one I wouldn't take him in again for rattles - the dealers don't seem to have a magic bullet. My method of handling MINI rattles is now a) try and ignore them and b) turn the stereo up