Topic: Which brands have the fewest interior rattles?

[Panzer]

From what I've owned in the past:

1980 Plymouth Volaré wagon:  It had its fair share of rattling but who cares when it's your first car!
1989 Chevy Sprint w/3-cyl engine: bought at 168,000 kms so, yah, some rattling present but this was a bottom-of-the-line econobox.  One has to expect rattling in that.
1990 Suzuki Swift w/4-cyl engine: bought at 60,000 kms and was rattle-free until 200,000 kms or so.
1999 Saturn: bought new and rattle free for entire ownership.  Traded for car below.
2002 Saturn: also bought new but rattles started to appear at less than 30,000 kms. Sold car at 60,000 kms.
1994 Firefly: bought at 161,000 kms, similar to '89 Sprint in ownership experience.
2005 Impreza RS: totally rattle-free so far, presently have 39,000 kms on it.

[99 Silver]

Every other MB we've owned (190's, E and C) have all been rock solid with respect to interior noises and interior wear.

I was amazed at the auto show when I hopped in any Benz and shut the door.  It was like a tomb, you could just barely hear the burble of the crowd.

My business partner is really into MB.  He has just bought his third consecutive S class.  I know he has had some problems with the previous two as they were gone for a couple of days for a time to the dealership for repairs.  The new S (550 I think) is gorgeous inside and out.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

The Golf didn't develop any rattles over the 5.5 years / 305K's, except in the extreme cold a part of the dash in the stereo DIN would vibrate. If I put my hand in the slot above and pressed down it would stop, and didn't do it when above -15dC or once the cabin warmed. I didn't want to get it checked out as I feared if the dash was taken apart something else would rattle!

The GTI doesn't have any rattles yet either.

None of the Toyotas/Lexus vehicles I've been in rattled, but a friend's Acura 1.7EL did a bit (seemed to come from the B-pillar?), and some of the Chrysler van and GM cars and vans built a few years ago creaked and groaned.

[bmorton]

Our 2006 RAV4 is the most interior noise-free new vehicle I've ever got into, which was a pleasant surprise considering its size and complexity. Our previous 2000 RAV4 was exceptionally tight, even after 90,000 km.

All of my other previous vehicles (Subaru, Mazda, VW and Honda) had ticks, creaks or rattles to various degrees, ranging from minor and easily fixed at home (VW) to numerous and loud where I had the dealer get involved (Alliston-built Civic). I remember having little pieces of cloth or felt inserted all around the Honda's interior to try and tighten up some of the panel fits.

My father's MB SLK350 is solid overall, but developed a fairly loud rattle in the top mechanism behind the passenger's right ear. A B200 I drove recently was quite quiet.