Buying a b7200

[Mike777]

Hey everyone,

First of all thank you to the forum owners, admins/mods for keeping up such a great site.

I am driving two hours away to buy this tractor. It is the package I have been looking for and it is the only one I have found within 3 hours drive.

The owner states that everything is in good working order except for the lights and hour meter do not work and never worked since he owned it.

This tractor comes with a tiller and a 60” finish mower.

He is asking $8000 and I talked him down to $7000.

It is 4x4 hydrostatic trans. He could not confirm the year of manufacturing.

Is this a good buy for $7000?

Thank you.

 

[Mike777]

Here are the photos he sent me

 

[Mike777]

One more pic. I have never purchased a tractor before so any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

One thing to note, it does not have power steering and it wasn't an option on that model, so any heavy loader work will work your arms good.

It looks to be in good over all condition, price is good, if it runs well it should be a really good unit for many more years.

 

[Mike777]

Hey thanks for the quick reply. I have considered the no power steering issue. Although I have not experienced it yet I’m thinking the workout is going to be a heck of a lot better than using a shovel and wheelbarrow if I didn’t have a tractor

Are there any things I should be specifically looking for when I go to pick it up? Signs of problems to come?

Thanks again

 

[D2Cat]

You're driving two hours from where? Location will effect price.

 

[Mike777]

I’m in lower Michigan.

 

[85Hokie]

Hey thanks for the quick reply. I have considered the no power steering issue. Although I have not experienced it yet I’m thinking the workout is going to be a heck of a lot better than using a shovel and wheelbarrow if I didn’t have a tractor

Are there any things I should be specifically looking for when I go to pick it up? Signs of problems to come?

Thanks again

Things to "ask" and check....

When was the last time the hydraulic oil changed? Engine oil? Filters?
These are very important!! IF he cannot "say when" then think in the back of your head, you are going to spend another 100 or more on fluid and filters.

Pull the dipstick out of the hydraulic - should be under the seat between you legs.....smell it, does it smell "burnt" - its probably fine, notice the color as you rub it on your finger. Is it somewhat clear? or milky? You want it to be somewhat clear, maybe with a yellow hue.

Look at the zerks on the bucket - those been greased lately? You will need a grease gun to grease those about every 10 hours of use in the future.

As for the hour meter......I bet the fuse is blown, or meter is not hooked up.

Same for the lights. Lights are an easy fix.

As for the loader , look at the bucket as see if it is straight. Look down the underside - where it meets the ground.

When you get there - ask if the engine has been started in a while, like in the past hour. If not, you start it after glowing the plugs and see how much smoke comes out once running....and how long it smokes AFTER starting.....
It will smoke - but the duration of the smoke is a good sign of how the engine has been treated and a guess on the hours on the engine.

I have a friend who is 84, and he has been driving and abusing his 7200 for the last 30+ years!!! He does little if ANY maintenance on it and it looks beat to hell, but run like a champ and still gets many things done. He did not change the hydraulic filter until I said something to him........two summers ago!!!! His hour meter shows like 400 hours.....I said that is all the tractor has .....400 hours? He said yes....after it flipped TWICE.....so he has 2400 hours it runs and runs!!!

good luck on it and post more pictures when you get it!

 

[D2Cat]

Don't get in a hurry, and don't limit yourself by distance. I bought a 40HP tractor in Jackson, Tn. which is 540 miles and got it delivered for $500.

What are you going to use the tractor for, mowing, snow removal, grading?

 

[Mike777]

85Hokie:
Thank you for the good advice. He says it doesn’t smoke at all. Not at all. Says the bucket is straight too. Of course I will see on Monday. He said he has owned it for 4 years and never changed the hydro, though he said he changed the oil this last winter. He said he hasn’t greased anything in a long time. Will check the oil smell and color. Thank you.

D2cat:

Thanks for the reply. I am in a hurry to get it so that’s a hard one lol I have been looking for a few weeks now and I haven’t found anything for this price with the things I want. Those things are: reliable brand in decent shape, 4x4, bucket, tiller and mower. Will be using the bucket for snow plowing, moving firewood and light gardening work. Riding mower took a crap weeks ago, grass is 3’ tall so hoping the finish mower on this will replace it. Thinking of covering the entire back yard in mulch so will be pushing around a lot of wood chips.

 

[Lencho]

I like that it is in a garage. Try to tell if it always lives there or if it was moved in from outside temporarily. The tiller photo shows one tine with little wear - so that may indicate little use of the tiller, maybe new tines? It is likely a decent counterweight which makes power steering less crucial. Go check it out!

 

[Mike777]

Hey just thought I would post an update.

Getting ready to go pick this tractor up Monday afternoon. The owner sent me a video of him starting it. I asked him if it smokes and if the bucket is straight. He said it never smokes. Sent me the video to confirm. Bucket is straight no dents.
Also the tiller is a Kubota brand. He bought it brand new two years ago. The mower is a land pride 60” finish mower.

It started right up and he picked up a load of dirt like it was nothing. From what I have gathered it’s worth seven grand. I sure hope so it’s the only seven grand I have lol. It’s been kept inside also. Will post a video when I get home.

 

[Firefox]

Check your private messages (top right side of page.may be worth your time).

 

[Mike777]

I just have one question. Do you guys think I will regret buying a tractor with no power steering? Other options have come up for nearly the same price. I feel committed because the owner has held it for nearly a month but I’m torn now.

 

[85Hokie]

I just have one question. Do you guys think I will regret buying a tractor with no power steering? Other options have come up for nearly the same price. I feel committed because the owner has held it for nearly a month but I’m torn now.

Absolutely not........the power steering is nice and maybe once in a while when you have 600 lbs in the bucket and need to make some turns....you'll wish you had power steering. Otherwise you will learn to make it work without problems.

I have speed knobs on all my tractors.......even the ONE WITH power steering - on my two B7100s, the ball makes it soooo much easier than without.

Some will say it is a bad idea - just dont place the ball on the rim - only place it on the spokes!

 

[D2Cat]

I suppose it like air conditioning and color TV. Once you have it you aren't going back.

I had a B8200 W/O power steering. Bought it new that way. The next year I added to loader. Not fun, or practical. I put power steering on it!

I'd take my time to buy what I wanted, not what someone had to sell. It might sound wrong, but it's your money and after it's spent you get to talk to yourself every time you get on the tractor...wish I'd have waited and gotten.....(power steering).

A transaction is not complete until funds change hands. If you don't want it, call the guy and tell him not to wait on you. End of conversation!

 

[Mike777]

Thanks, much appreciated. Two very different, yet valid and reasonable points of view.
I have never owned a tractor and the only one I have ever driven didn’t have power steering and it wasn’t terrible. Though he had a bale of hay on the spike to offset. So, I don’t really know what I’m missing.

Unless I can find something less than $7000 with power steering and a fairly new tiller, I’m going to get it.

He's holding firm at $7000 too, which was oddly enough, reassuring to me. Could be way off on that but my gut says go for it.

 

[Mike777]

Well I am the proud owner of a b7200! No power steering, no problem. It is what it is. I love this tractor! Its annoying but I am saving up for another Kubota starting right now haha!

I should have taken before and after pics of my property but oh well. The things I accomplished today, whew.

I drove it from sunup to sundown. Tilled a garden, cleaned out a barn, moved a trash pile, gathered 10 decent size rocks, moved brush, mowed the lawn, graded a spot in my yard where my truck got stuck last year, moved another trash pile and a collapsed shed, mowed a path to the woods, pulled a few logs and had tons of fun doing it! All on less than 3 gallons of fuel. Fuel gauge is broken so I just topped it off every few hours.

Had a few things get up in the mower but the grass was 3 foot and thick. The land pride mower just minced it all up into dust. No piles of grass anywhere.

Tiller chewed up the ground with zero resistance.

So far I notice only the lights, hour meter, horn and fuel gauge are not working. Tail lights and rear spotlight are busted.

Had a few mishaps. Pinched my leg under the tiller when I was hooking it up to the three point, not even sure how it happened, but just a bruise and a scrape. Close call though. Ground a rock down flat with the mower. We live and learn. Now Im riding the bucket level with the ground when mowing the tall grass.

All in all I am extremely satisfied with this beast. I thought I was going to want to paint it but its not terrible. It was always stored inside and I kinda like the old beat up look, matches my other stuff

 

[Lencho]

Fuel gauge? What a fancy rig!
We don’t miss what we never had.
Actually I think not having power steering makes me aware of my rear ballast. If it balances the FEL the steering is easy. If it is too light the steering is hard and I think I am loading the front end harder as well.

 

[200mph]

First off congrats on the new tractor. I'm certain you'll enjoy it for many years.

For 20 years my neighbor has put up manual steering on his B9200, but was becoming very difficult for him to steer when FEL was loaded. Recommended he buy a Ballast box to reduce the steering effort. For two years I heard, "Don't need it. I have the blade attached." Got tired of this, so took his tractor and installed my ballast box and gave it to him to try for a few days. He ordered a ballast box after the first use.

Titan makes a nice ballast box for about $270.

https://www.palletforks.com/three-point-attachments/ballast-box/3-point-category-1-tractor-ballast-box-800-lb-capacity.html