Review on Experience The Stars With The Orion StarBlast II 4.5 EQ Reflector Telescope Kit by Harry Ashcraft

I purchased the Orion telescope because I trusted the quality of the product based on the fact that they provide a great deal of information via YouTube, and they are located in the U.S. Before I even bought the scope, I watched both Ken and Vanessa's initial setup multiple times, as well as their video on how to use the scope, so I knew exactly what I was getting, how to set it up, and how to use it.Not five minutes into setup, I noticed one of the 3 bolts used to attach the EQ mount to the tripod was missing the washers. In addition, 2 of the 3 wingnuts were so badly cross-threaded, I had a very difficult time removing them. (see photo.) Luckily, I had a couple of like-sized washers in my workshop, so I moved on with the setup.Once the tripod was connected to the EQ mount and attachment tray was installed, I stood it upright; it was at this point I noticed 2 very large dents in one of the setting circles (see photo.)I stopped the setup and contacted their customer service rep; he assured me I would hear from the appropriate manager in a day or two. After two days passed and silence, I called them back. The same customer service rep said he would make sure my issue was passed on, and that I should hear from someone ASAP. It's been over a week since my initial contact, and I still haven't heard from anyone associated with the company (nor have I received any replacement parts in the mail).In the meantime, I decided to continue setup of the telescope. For one, I needed to find out if there were any other issues with parts; two, I wanted to use my telescope!As for the telescope itself (aside from missing parts and a dented setting circle), I really like using it so far. I spent HOURS watching videos and studying the use of it before taking it out, and I was able to locate Jupiter and Saturn right away (not to mention the moon, which was full the first night I took it out.) I was more than pleased with the optics and detail provided during my initial viewing, and my brief experience of studying the night sky thus far has been pretty surreal. I'm looking forward to exploring so much more moving forward, and I guess I'll just have to accept the fact that my telescope's superficial imperfections make it unique.Would I buy the scope again? Yes, I guess I would. It's a good scope, and I really appreciate Orion's presence on YouTube; the videos REALLY help! But it's disappointing that a company that seems to pride itself on providing support has failed to take care of me in a timely manner, and it's something prospective buyers need to consider.UPDATE: Orion eventually sent me a message via Revain to let me know I would soon receive a replacement EQ mount, along with a new set of attachment hardware. Yes, I got the mount. No, I did not get the hardware. After contacting them a 3rd time, I finally got everything. Good telescope, yes. Poor quality control and customer service, however.