Golf/GTI VI :: 2011 - Extremely Hard To Get Into Either Reverse - Squeaking While Clutched?

I have a 2011 GTI with ~23k miles on it, manual trans. Bought it CPO this year. Recently, I have had an extremely hard time getting the car into either reverse or first. It only happens randomly. It often takes a few times to finally get it to click. Other times I think it is in gear only to let off the clutch and hear the gears grind.

Next, when it is cold, it is squeaking when I lift off the clutch just before the gear engages. Again, it is totally random. It may go an entire week without doing it, and then one day start.

I have read all over these forums that this is likely a linkage issue with the difficulty shifting and a TOB issue with the squeaking on the clutch liftoff.

I am taking the car into the dealer tomorrow (still under CPO warranty). I called a local, and extremely well respected, Euro repair shop and he said it sounded like a classic pilot brushing problem. When I looked online, it says that the manual GTIs don't have pilot brushings... Is this correct?

Additionally, what do I need to expect from the dealer? I've read horror stories about the dealers tearing down the clutch (~10hr job) to get inside and replace something only to say that there is "wear and tear" and that the job isn't covered under warranty. Additionally, I know I won't be able to replicate the sound tomorrow when I bring it in. Nor will I be able to replicate the difficulty getting the car into gear. Short of leaving the car with them for 3 weeks and having them try it every few hours, they won't see what I am talking about.

My question at this point is, does a bad TOB cause any long term problems, or is it just an occasional annoyance with the sound? And what specifically should I tell the dealer about the difficulty shifting to get them to do something about it?