Seat replacement...Ebay or Dealer?

[CJN8]

Simple enough question. Replacing a worn out seat on the B7200 HSTD and was wondering should I just get a seat from Ebay? They run about 110-125 dollars or should I go to the dealership and get on for about 145-150 dollars?

Thanks
Nate

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

EBay! They both sell the same seat, your just not paying the dealer mark-up.

 

[hodge]

If I were replacing a seat, I would get a price from the dealer, then check ebay. If the price on ebay combined with the shipping was cheaper, then I would go that route. They are the same seat, as Idaho said.
If the dealer were close or the same, I would buy from them. If I can afford it, I prefer to support the local business.

 

[rayc]

If its the same seat go the way you want. If there is a problem with it its easier to return it to the dealer???

 

[Kingcreek]

You might want to check with a local upholstery shop and see if they can reskin it for less.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I was fixin to ask this same question myself. My the metal on my seat is find I just need new cover and foam cushion. Didn't know where to go look or gotten that far into investigating yet.

I think someone sells a repair kit.

 

[chim]

You might want to check with a local upholstery shop and see if they can reskin it for less.

There are quite a few upholsterers around the nearby Manheim Auto Auction and they do magic on all sorts of things. One of them replaced a panel in the driver's bucket seat in my company truck and it looks like factory new. Another did a custom bed cover for an El Camino that I had back when.

Another route could be a suspension seat from AgriSupply. My B7500 used to slap me silly when hitting sharp bumps. The AS suspension seat cured that for the last 6 or so years I had it. The only problem (don't tell the ROPS cops) was that it required the removal of the seat belt for clearance. With no ROPS I preferred not to be strapped to the tractor anyway. When I sold the B7500 I did re-install the original seat, seat belt & ROPS. The suspension seat was still in great shape so I donated it to a towmotor at work.

 

[landphil]

You can sometimes easily replace the foam and fabric yourself easily! I ckecked out a utube video and was surprised how easy it is. cost me about $50 bucks in material, marine upholstery fabric foam and spray adhesive.

 

[CJN8]

All great points fellas. I think i am going to go the dealer route. I have been going in about once a week now since i bought the new to me B7200 to get odds and ends, they have had everything in stock so far. The guys are real nice and have even thrown in some o-rings for my hydraulic fluid strainers for free when i bought all my filters. Little things like that go a long way right?

 

[hodge]

O-rings cost pennies, so the gesture has more value than the sacrifice. It is your money and your decision, so please don't take this as ridicule- if you are happy with your decision, then that's all that is on the table.
At least price shop the same seat- a dealer isn't going to deal in volume on seats, so it is pretty likely that you will pay more there, maybe considerably more. If nothing else, see if the dealer will negotiate the price, seeing as how much business you have given them lately.

 

[WFM]

Has anyone mentioned '..have you looked at the seat Wildfire has on his BX ?...its the 'SuperSofteeArmRestsMemoryFoamDeluxe5000withLeather'...if it was me...I'd buy after market. And it would have all the bells and whistles.
But that's just me.

 

[BAP]

You have to make sure you are buying what you want for a seat. There are a lot of aftermarket seats out there that say they are direct replacement for OEM seats. When you get them they kind of fit and are not shaped the same as the original. If aren't looking for the exact same thing that isn't a problem. If yo want your new one to be just like the old one was, then you end up being SOL.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Where does one go to find a foam and vinyl rebuild kit?!?!

 

[Kingcreek]

Where does one go to find a foam and vinyl rebuild kit?!?!

I took the seat off my old green and yellow tractor and took it to an upholstery shop I had used before with good results for a truck seat and an antique car. They rebuilt my JD seat for $60 3 years ago.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Guess I need to check locally and see who can do some upholstery work then....

 

[Donystoy]

Just had my seat re-upholstered this year. It was almost 1/2 the cost of a new seat which would have cost $300 at the dealer. They did as good a job as they could but the original seat had the vinyl heat formed to the foam and had unique drain passages. I wish I had just purchased a new one from the dealer. Aftermarket seats were junk and eBay was out of the question due to cost of getting anything up here.