If I understand correctly, the scope is pretty much repaired and OK now? Do you see any remaining residue from the sticker when you look in the front of the scope? (This sticker is usually on the secondary mirror mount, and must have somehow migrated from there to the primary during shipping.) If the scope needs further work, you might get an estimate from Vixen for the work, and then ask the seller to cover half the cost (including shipping to and from Vixen). It is also possible the scope might still be covered under warrantee from Vixen, and that they might repair it for free (especially since you have a photo of the sticker on the primary mirror to document the original problem). But I would only ask the seller to pay if in fact it needs further work, and you do send it to Vixen. Since you've already done work on the scope yourself, rather than returning it, I feel it would not be appropraite to ask the seller to cover full costs of further work (as odd as that may seem).
Since you've already worked on the scope yourself, I feel it would not be appropriate to ask the seller to take it back. A better course of action might have been to return the scope to the seller in the original condition as you received it. But it is too late for that now. Ultimately you have to decide whether to fix the scope yourself or return it, and then live with the decision. With a new item there might be a sticker that says "removing this screw will void the warrantee" and things are hence more clearly defined. Things are not so clearly defined here.
Probably in this case it was faster to fix it yourself, as compared to sending it to Vixen (and risking further shipping damage, etc.), or returning it to the seller and waiting to see another one on Astromart. So it may have been the correct decision. If the scope is now working well and appears to be completely repaired, I think you should just enjoy the scope, and have some pride that you were able to fix it yourself. Someday when the optics need cleaning, you'll know how to do it.
Unfortunately, it is not rare to receive both new and used optical goods with a loose screw or something bent or broken or not right. I don't think any manufacturer is likely to compensate you for time and effort dealing with a scope received in poor condition. They may offer to fix it for free, and possibly pay return shipping, but that is all. (It sounds like the seller did make some such offer.) Manufacturers are not likely to pay for your time and effort. A few Astromart sellers are probably nice enough to do that, but it I don't think it is "required."
If you had some material cost to repair the scope, you could ask the seller to cover it. But if its just cotton balls and rubbing alcohol to clean the primary, then I'd say its not worth it. (If the primary mirror were actually broken, you could ask for funds to replace it, but that is not the case here.)
Ultimately you can leave a rating for the seller. Some accurate but brief description of the events might be in order.
I am impreseed that Vixen spent that much time with you on the phone! That is the good news in all of this. Customer service is alive and well, and living at Vixen it seems. Kudos to Vixen!
Since you've already worked on the scope yourself, I feel it would not be appropriate to ask the seller to take it back. A better course of action might have been to return the scope to the seller in the original condition as you received it. But it is too late for that now. Ultimately you have to decide whether to fix the scope yourself or return it, and then live with the decision. With a new item there might be a sticker that says "removing this screw will void the warrantee" and things are hence more clearly defined. Things are not so clearly defined here.
Probably in this case it was faster to fix it yourself, as compared to sending it to Vixen (and risking further shipping damage, etc.), or returning it to the seller and waiting to see another one on Astromart. So it may have been the correct decision. If the scope is now working well and appears to be completely repaired, I think you should just enjoy the scope, and have some pride that you were able to fix it yourself. Someday when the optics need cleaning, you'll know how to do it.
Unfortunately, it is not rare to receive both new and used optical goods with a loose screw or something bent or broken or not right. I don't think any manufacturer is likely to compensate you for time and effort dealing with a scope received in poor condition. They may offer to fix it for free, and possibly pay return shipping, but that is all. (It sounds like the seller did make some such offer.) Manufacturers are not likely to pay for your time and effort. A few Astromart sellers are probably nice enough to do that, but it I don't think it is "required."
If you had some material cost to repair the scope, you could ask the seller to cover it. But if its just cotton balls and rubbing alcohol to clean the primary, then I'd say its not worth it. (If the primary mirror were actually broken, you could ask for funds to replace it, but that is not the case here.)
Ultimately you can leave a rating for the seller. Some accurate but brief description of the events might be in order.
I am impreseed that Vixen spent that much time with you on the phone! That is the good news in all of this. Customer service is alive and well, and living at Vixen it seems. Kudos to Vixen!
