Damage is on the entire dash piece.

 

If your dash doesn't rattle now, I'd leave it. I am fussy about things like scratches, but that one looks tiny to me. I'd leave it unless your dash laready makes noise. God Bless, Marc

 

I hate to say this, but it's an HHR. HHRs are made out of cheap plastic. It's going to rattle eventually, regardless of what you do now....

 

If this is the piece it pays 1.0 hour to install and it will cost the service manager around $100 for the part unless the Parts Department charges him retail ($165), which I doubt they will. It's not as big of job as they are making it out to be.

 

I was all for forgetting about it until I saw ChevyMgr's comments and exploded view. I would have them replace it. If the service manager tries to pull the $3K guilt trip on you, print out the exploded view and show it to him and ask him how he came up with that figure.... I would only push it if he tries to talk you out of it, because I do give him/them credit for owning up to it.
I know those minor scratches can eat at you, especially if you didn't do it. I have a few grease stains like that.

 

IT is the lower part of the dash.

 

Regardless, I would have them replace it. As I said I had the instrument cluster replaced, took less than an hour, and it looks and works great. No new rattles, no damage, just a fully functional instrument cluster.

 

I'd tell him it really bothers me but what would he be willing to do to forget it.
Maybe the cargo organizer + 3 tanks of gas.

It wouldn't bother me except the fact that I knew that someone that's supposed to be a professional scratched it.
A free cargo organizer + 3 free tankfulls of gas would make me glad he did it.

Then some of this might make it disappear:

 

REPLACE IT! I had to change the IP Harness in my car (OEM Heated Seat Add-On) and had to remove the whole dash piece your talking about, and it is a pain in the butt, and takes a few hours. Ultimately I have and still have NO RATTLES in my car, which everybody speaks of!!

 

I changed the dash in my Fiero in lessy than a Hour. The HHR like MGR has stated is not a big deal. Most new car dashes are easy to work on anymore.

Make em do it right or they may do worse later. Or worse yet it will be something you wished you changed a year from now.