 I recently bought a Vango Spectre 200. I put it up in the garden on Saturday. Got in it, then got out of it. Got in it a final time out then getting out again (I know it sounds like the okey cokey) the zip snagged. I managed to get it free eventually but now the zip wont't stay closed. This is the external zip(on the flysheet). Do you guys think this is covered under the Vango lifetime warranty or will they just think I'm a t1t who should not be sold a tent? If it is the latter where can I get this fixed (before Easter)?
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 If you recently bought it, you should return it to the retailer.
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I'd take it back to where you bought it. I tried out a Force10 single skin tent in the garden and found a very small hole that was capable of letting in water. I took it back to the retailer who fortunately was great. Vango however were not. The retailer had to really chase for the correct Vango forms to send back with the tent for checking. His Vango rep was not really interested since the retailer had just been visited and his order for the season had been placed. Or that is how it seemed. I waited and waited. The retailer knew I had a trip in just over 2 months of returning the tent and I still had no answer. In fact the return forms had not even been sent I believe. I was fortunate as the retailer lent me a suitable alternative tent to use for my trip which he wasn't obligated to do. The last I knew the tent was returned without the forms by the retailer who was almost as hacked off as I was and I got a new tent from the retailer without Vango even authorising it. I just hope he got the replacement as I don't see how the retailer should lose out when the faulty goods are covered by a guarantee and the manufacturer is playing silly beggars with return forms and not returning phone calls. This might make Vango sound bad at customer and retailer relations. I don;t know if that is the case in general it just happened like this in my case. I like Vango and Force10 tents however I do think their after sales, returns, customer relations and retailer relations are not as good or as efficient as they could be. BTW Simon if the zip fails on your first inspection, which is what the putting it up in the garden is, then it is faulty IMHO. In that case it is not going to get better so must be repaired or replaced. I think Vango is sufficiently big to go straight down the replace route. I would go for this through your retailer. I hope it wasn't bought online as you might have a long wait and not get the face to face assistance from the retailer that I did. Good luck!
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It's odd how these things happen, cos when I had a problem with a Force 10 tent I bought brand new off ebay (from an ebay shop that is probably actually a direct Vango outlet), they couldn't have been more helpful and replaced the damaged pole section at no cost, even when I told them that I'd used it several times, didn't know how it had been damaged and was prepared to pay for the repair!
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BTW I couldn;t really comment on whether you are a t1t, I just think you are victim of modern gear manufacturers that are of a reasonable size not operating 100% quality like the smaller guys. They have factored in free replacements and repairs for a certain percentage of goods sold into the RRP you end up paying. It is not a loss to them to replace the odd tent. Smaller companies are different and you are more likely to get more repairs done and also less failures in the first place. That was told to me by someone at the old Karrimor factory. They said that they try to detect faults but take into account a certain percentage of returned and replaced goods.
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MK - That is why I made the point that I did not know if my case was the exception and they are good. I also suspect that the ebay retailer probably replaced it at own cost and would at a later date get credit from Vango. It is probable that they were a larger customer of Vango and had more bite with their reps. This is what happens with larger retailers. If I had bought my tent from Cotwolds for example I would never have had a wait the replacement would have come out of stock. Even if the large retailer doesn;t get credit for the return they can absorb the cost and keep good will. In my case the retailer can't do that, but he does have my good will just not Vango / Force10 service department.
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I dealt directly with Vango over the phone, Ttg, didn't go back to the ebay retailer.
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I emailed the supplier on Saturday, heard nothing from them today so I'll give them a call tomorrow lunchtime. MK, I looked at the Vango website, it said on there that you should contact the retailer (you are Vango dealers). I didn't fancy calling them at 25p/minute! It's a tough one, I'd hate the retailer to be out of pocket: I paid a little under £65.00 including the delivery charge, so there can't be that much in it for them.
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The dealer said Vango told me it is not under warranty and that I should pay £50.00 for the repair. I called the repair centre (AMG Group?) and explained what happened with the tent. As a gesture I have now had to pay £23.00. I just hope it is back with me for Thursday (they have promised me despatch tommorrow) or it will mean my Easter trip is off altogether.
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Expect it August bank holiday. Getting closer to the date I will be using my new Vango Spectre 200 bought for £50 from a local shop about 10 miles away. I always go in if I pass it on the way somewhere, never know what you might pick up for a good deal. Reckon a tarp over the entrance when car camping will make for a half decent car camp in summer. The tarp of course would be for shade from the sun and not for shelter from rain. It will be a British summer with sun and all that stuff I remember from when I were young.
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Reckon I should try to pitch it in case of faults.
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