@2cool..
while doing something else I came across this function in
administrator\components\com_virtuemart\models\user.php
maybe u can see if it is still used and debug why your not getting the admin one -- vm3.0.16
check -> $vars['doVendor']= (boolean)$usersConfig->get('mail_to_admin');
/**
* This uses the shopFunctionsF::renderAndSendVmMail function, which uses a controller and task to render the content
* and sents it then.
*
*
* @author Oscar van Eijk
* @author Max Milbers
* @author Christopher Roussel
* @author Valérie Isaksen
*/
private function sendRegistrationEmail($user, $password, $doUserActivation){
if(!class_exists('shopFunctionsF')) require(VMPATH_SITE.DS.'helpers'.DS.'shopfunctionsf.php');
$vars = array('user' => $user);
// Send registration confirmation mail
$password = preg_replace('/[\x00-\x1F\x7F]/', '', $password); //Disallow control chars in the email
$vars['password'] = $password;
if ($doUserActivation) {
jimport('joomla.user.helper');
$activationLink = 'index.php?option=com_users&task=registration.activate&token='.$user->get('activation');
$vars['activationLink'] = $activationLink;
}
$usersConfig = JComponentHelper::getParams( 'com_users' );
$vars['doVendor']= (boolean)$usersConfig->get('mail_to_admin');
// public function renderMail ($viewName, $recipient, $vars=array(),$controllerName = null)
shopFunctionsF::renderMail('user', $user->get('email'), $vars);
}