Great features for the price, OK quality

I bought this for a lightweight tripod I carry when I'm hiking, but I'm comparing this to a much nicer head I have on another tripod. This head costs less than a quarter of what the other head costs. In some ways it's really good for the price, but in other ways it's kind of exactly what I paid for. The good: the dual pan construction is functional, and I appreciate the bubble level built into the clamp. The thumb knobs are spring loaded and they can be repositioned so they don't bump into your camera or the base of the tripod, which is convenient. The bad: both pan mechanisms are really stiff. Compared to my other head they require a lot more force to turn. At least it's not making any noises that indicate that the parts are scratching as you turn the head, though. Also the centering indicators above the lower pan are pretty sloppily applied, so the one under the yellow V logo isn't a perfect 180º from the one on the opposite side. I'll have to remember which one I'm using if I'm panning, so my pans are even. The OK: the ball itself isn't the smoothest thing in the world, but it's smooth enough? Cosmetically, my copy isn't perfect. It arrived a little scratched on the base, with small ding on one side of the clamp, and some screwdriver marks where the clamp attaches to the head. I don't know if I got a repackaged customer return or if that's a manufacturer QA issue, but it's worth noting. At the price I paid (less than half the price listed on Vanguard's site) I'm happy enough, but I'm certainly not wowed.