Chevy Dealer Serving Longview and Gilmer, TX

Expect the dealer to go through your truck, check its history and what it’s selling for and then give you a trade number. In Texas that trade will also reduce your sales tax as the 6.25% tax only applies to the price of the vehicle you’re buying less your trade. That tax break is the biggest reason to trade in rather than sell on your own. Here’s how the whole thing works and what to watch out for. How does a dealer figure out my truck’s trade-in value in Texas? A dealer works backward from what your truck will sell for and then deducts the cost of getting it ready. Here’s what that number breaks down into: Year, miles and trim. A newer, lower mile crew cab 4x4 is worth more than a high mile regular cab work truck. Not at all a surprise. Condition. Dents, worn seats, cracked glass and tire tread all get looked at. So does anything the dealer has to fix before it can sell the truck. History. A clean title and a clean history report help. A branded title (like salvage or flood) hurts a lot. What trucks like yours are selling for. Trade values are market driven. A truck that’s in demand right now brings more. Equipment. Talk about the upgrades, the gooseneck hitch, the bed liner, the tool box etc. Some of those add value in the right truck. Some of them don’t. In Northeast Texas a lot of the trades are work trucks. A truck that’s pulled a stock trailer to the sale barn every week will show it and that’s perfectly acceptable. Be up front about it. An honest description from the start means you’re not going to be surprised when the appraiser goes around it. How much does a trade-in save on Texas sales tax? Texas charges 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax on the sales price minus your trade-in allowance. So your trade is worth more than its dollar value. It also cuts your tax bill. Here’s an example. Say you buy a truck for $55,000 and trade in one worth $20,000: Without a trade: tax on $55,000 is $3,437.50. With the trade: tax on $35,000 is $2,187.50. Tax saved: $1,250. That’s money you’d lose if you sold the truck yourself. The Comptroller says you can’t use the proceeds of a private sale to reduce the tax on your next vehicle. To get the credit the trade has to go directly to the seller as part of the same sale. If a private buyer offers you $1,000 more than a dealer you may not actually come out ahead when you take the tax into account. What if I still owe money on my truck? You can still trade it in. The loan payoff is dealt with as part of the transaction. If your truck is worth more than you owe then the difference is your equity and that goes toward your next vehicle. If you owe more than the truck is worth then you’re in negative equity. That gap is typically added to your new loan so you’d be paying it off as part of your new vehicle. Know your payoff before you go in. Call your lender and get the payoff amount. That way you can check the math yourself. And here’s the good news about the tax. The Comptroller has made it clear that the trade-in credit is based on the value of the vehicle, not your equity. So if you owe money on your truck that doesn’t reduce your tax credit at all. What paperwork should I bring? Bring these and the deal goes a lot faster: Your title (if the truck is paid off). It has to be signed, with the date and the odometer reading. Your lender’s name and your account number (if you still owe on it). Your current registration and your driver’s license. Every key and remote. A missing key can bring your number down. Your maintenance records (if you’ve got them) - they’ll show the truck’s been looked after. You can keep your license plates. Texas allows the seller to take them off when the vehicle is sold. What should I do after I trade in my truck? File a Vehicle Transfer Notification with the DMV within 30 days. It’s an easy step to forget. Here’s why it matters. Texas doesn’t require the dealer to put the traded truck into the dealership’s name. The truck remains in your name until it’s sold to somebody else. The TxDMV states that if you file the notice within 30 days you won’t be held liable for any parking tickets or toll violations on that truck. It takes a few minutes online. How do you get a fair trade number? A fair trade starts with knowing what you have. These steps help: Check an online estimate first (it won’t be exact but it’ll give you a range to work from). Clean it out and wash it. You don’t need to go right down to a detail job but a clean truck looks better. Don’t pay for the major repairs right before you trade as you won’t necessarily get that money back in the trade number. Get the trade number in writing and keep it separate from the price of the truck you’re buying so you can see both of them clearly. And watch out for stacked conditions. That’s when a trade number will only hold if you finance with the dealer, buy an add-on or meet some other condition. It’s very common in this business. It’s also how a good looking number can turn into a bad deal. How does a trade-in work at Sandlin Chevrolet? Sandlin Chevrolet in Mount Pleasant, Texas, doesn’t stack conditions on a number. If they give you a trade value it’s not conditioned on financing here or anything else you’ve got to add on. You can go online. Sandlin’s free trade appraisal form asks for the year, make, model, VIN, mileage, condition and approximate payoff of your truck. Then they appraise it. You can also just drive it in. If you’re trading up you can obviously browse their new and pre-owned inventory before coming in. Bob Sandlin bought into the Chevy store here in 1937 and it’s still in the family after four generations. Yes, Lake Bob Sandlin is named for him. Chevy refers to itself as the Heartbeat of America and for a store that’s been selling Chevrolets right here in the area since before WWII that’s certainly the case. Ask for Juan Cruz (voted Best Car Salesperson in the Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune Readers’ Choice Awards) or call the sales team at 903-285-6644. Frequently asked questions Does trading in my truck reduce my sales tax in Texas? Yes. Texas taxes 6.25% of the sales price less your trade-in. The trade has to go to the seller as part of the same sale. Can I trade in a truck I still owe money on? Yes. The loan payoff is dealt with as part of the trade. Any equity goes to the new vehicle. If you owe more than the truck is worth then the difference is generally added to your new loan. Do I need my title to trade in my truck? If it’s paid off then yes. Bring it signed, with the date and odometer reading. If you still owe on it then you’ll need to bring your lender’s name and account number. What do I need to do after I trade in my truck in Texas? File a Vehicle Transfer Notification with the TxDMV within 30 days. That protects you from parking tickets and toll violations on the truck after it’s out of your possession. Will Sandlin’s trade offer change if I don’t finance with them? No. Sandlin doesn’t stack financing or other conditions on a trade number.

The Trax is the most affordable new Chevy SUV, followed by the Trailblazer and the Equinox. At Sandlin Chevrolet in Mount Pleasant, Texas, you can see all three in current inventory. The Equinox is the surprise. On the Chevy sticker the Equinox is $7,300 more than the Trax. Dealer pricing can narrow that gap, so compare current prices before you decide. If you’re looking for an affordable new SUV in Texas that changes the math. How much do Chevy’s most affordable SUVs cost at Sandlin? Here’s how the three compare on the lowest sticker price that Chevrolet sets for each model. The sticker prices include Chevrolet’s destination charge. Check chevrolet.com for current pricing. Trax: Chevy’s lowest sticker is $23,495 for the 2026 Trax LS. Equinox: Chevy’s lowest sticker is $30,795 for the 2026 Equinox LT. Trailblazer: Chevy’s lowest sticker is $25,395 (2026 Trailblazer LS). Chevy’s sticker is the cheapest version they build. The price on the lot depends on the vehicle. The trims vary. Neither one includes tax, title or license. Prices will move as the vehicles go out. So before you drive in, check out today’s prices on Sandlin’s new Trax, new Trailblazer and new Equinox pages. You may well find a trim or color that you like even better. If one of them does it for you then just call 903-285-6644 and ask for it by stock number. What do you get with a Trax? More than most people expect for the money. Even the base Trax comes with: A 1.2L turbo 3-cylinder with 137 hp and a 6-speed automatic 30 mpg combined, EPA-estimated A touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto LED headlamps and automatic high beams Chevy Safety Assist, which includes automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist Up to 54.1 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seats folded But it can’t do AWD at all, it’s front wheel drive only. Nothing at all on any trim. It’s not rated to tow either. If you need to pull a small trailer the Trax is not the vehicle for you. For a lot of people that’s absolutely acceptable. The average commute in Mount Pleasant is around 16 minutes. A Trax will cope with that, the shopping and a weekend trip to Lake Bob Sandlin without any issues. Is the Equinox worth the step up from a Trax? For most people, yes. The Equinox is a bigger compact SUV, so compare current prices on both before you decide. Here’s what the step up gets you: Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel (standard on the LT). Towing. The 2026 Equinox is rated to tow up to 1,500 lbs. The Trax isn’t rated to tow at all. AWD is available. The Trax doesn’t have it on any trim. Check with the salesperson to see if the Equinox on the lot has it. More space. That’s obviously important if you’re doing it day in, day out with kids, sports equipment and a dog. The Trax still wins if you’re on a tight to the dollar budget. It’s the lowest priced car on the list and is rated at 30mpg combined. When does the Trailblazer make sense? The Trailblazer sits between the Trax and the Equinox on Chevy’s sticker. So it has to justify its position. It does have two advantages. AWD is available on every Trailblazer trim and every 2026 Trailblazer is rated to tow up to 1,000 lbs (enough for a small utility trailer with a light load). The Equinox tows more and has AWD as well. You’d be well advised to compare the two side by side, prices included. If the exact Trailblazer on the lot is the one you’re after in terms of color and specification then it’s still a very good choice. Should you wait for the 2027 Trax? Most likely not if you’re after a car in the near term. The refreshed 2027 Trax comes on in spring 2027 with new styling and new tech and the trims are now Trax, RS and ACTIV. It’s still got the 1.2L turbo engine. GM hasn’t announced 2027 Trax pricing yet. New model years generally cost more. The 2027 Equinox LT for instance starts $500 more on the sticker than the 2026. The 2026 Trax is available now and you know what it costs. What will it cost to drive one home in Texas? Start with the retail price. Add to that the Texas sales tax (6.25% of the sales price less your trade-in) and that rate is the same in every county. On a $25,000 SUV with no trade the tax comes in at $1,562.50. That brings you to approximately $26,563 before title, registration and any dealer fees. A trade-in lowers the amount you pay tax on, so the tax goes down with it. That’s why the out the door price is more important than the ad. Ask for it in writing before you sign anything. Why buy an affordable Chevy SUV from Sandlin Chevrolet? Sandlin doesn’t layer conditions on a price. You won’t see a discount that only kicks in if you finance with Sandlin, have a trade and meet three other criteria. If they give you a figure it’s a figure a normal person can get. Customers say it in their reviews: “The transparency was refreshing” and “no gimmicks. No high pressure”. It’s the deal itself that’s getting the praise, not the salesperson. Bob Sandlin bought into the Chevy store here in 1937. Four generations on and it’s still in the family. Yes, Lake Bob Sandlin is named for him. Chevy refers to itself as the Heartbeat of America and in Northeast Texas that means vehicles for people who work and who want a fair price on the first go. See Sandlin’s current inventory for the colors and trims on the lot today. Ask for Juan Cruz (voted Best Car Salesperson in the Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune Readers’ Choice Awards) or call the sales team at 903-285-6644. Frequently asked questions What’s the cheapest new Chevy SUV? The Trax. The Chevy price starts at $23,495 with destination for the 2026 Trax LS. Check chevrolet.com for current pricing and see Sandlin’s new Trax page for today’s price. Are there new Chevy SUVs under $30,000? Yes, two. The Trax and Trailblazer start at $23,495 and $25,395 on Chevy’s sticker with destination, and the Equinox LT starts at $30,795 (all before tax, title and license). See Sandlin’s new inventory pages for current prices. Does the Chevy Trax come with AWD? No, it’s front wheel drive only. The Trailblazer and Equinox both offer AWD. Can a Chevy Trax tow a trailer? No. The Trax isn’t rated to tow at all. The Trailblazer is rated for up to 1,000 lbs and the 2026 Equinox for up to 1,500 lbs. Do Sandlin’s prices come with stacked conditions? No. Sandlin doesn’t stack financing, trade-in and other requirements on a price. Ask for the out-the-door number in writing.

A 2026 Chevy Silverado 2500HD will tow up to 22,420 lbs with a gooseneck or fifth wheel and up to 20,000 lbs on a conventional ball. Only a handful of builds actually reach those figures. The majority of the 2500HDs on a lot will be rated somewhere in the 14,500 to 19,200 lb range depending on the engine, cab, bed, drive and hitch. The honest answer is “it’s on the sticker”. Here’s how to read it and which build is appropriate for the work you do. What is the Silverado 2500HD towing capacity for each engine? Every 2026 Silverado 2500HD is equipped with a 10 speed Allison auto. You can select from two engines. 6.6L gas V8: 401 hp & 464 lb-ft. Up to 16,000 lbs conventional and up to 18,700 lbs gooseneck or fifth wheel. 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V8: 470 hp and 975 lb-ft. Up to 18,500 lbs conventional or 20,000 lbs with the Max Trailering Package. Up to 22,420 lbs gooseneck or fifth wheel. The gas truck gets ignored. A gas Crew Cab will still pull 16k lbs on a ball and around 18k lbs on a gooseneck. If you’re hauling a stock trailer to the sale barn twice a month that may be all the truck you need. The Duramax was nearly a $10k option on the 2026 truck so the gas engine keeps real money in your pocket. The diesel gets its money’s worth when you’re towing heavy, towing often, or towing over long distances. It has more than double the torque and pulls the hills with considerably less effort. Why does the cab and bed change the rating? Weight and wheelbase. A heavier truck leaves less under its combined weight limit for the trailer. A short truck can’t handle as much weight on the ball. That gives you some results that will surprise people. Regular Cab Long Bed and Double Cab Standard Bed: 14,500 lbs on a ball hitch (gas or diesel). The Max Trailering Package on the Regular Cab doesn’t increase that figure. Crew Cab: 16k lbs gas, 18.5k lbs diesel on a ball. The 20k lb conventional rating requires a Crew Cab diesel with the Max Trailering Package. Regular Cab Long Bed 2WD diesel with the Max Trailering Package: 22,420 lbs on a gooseneck (the highest rating in the 2500HD range). The lightest truck is the worst bumper pull truck and the best gooseneck. On several builds the gas engine actually out-rates the diesel on a gooseneck. The 2WD Double Cab Standard Bed is rated at 18,600 lbs with gas and 18,100 lbs with the diesel (the diesel being heavier of course). Four wheel drive costs you a little. On most gooseneck builds a 4WD truck is rated a few hundred lbs below the same truck in 2WD. What is the Max Trailering Package? It’s a Duramax only option and it’s the only way to get to the 20k lb conventional rating or the gooseneck ratings above 22k lbs. If you’re not planning on running near those weights then you don’t need it. If you are then order it. You can’t add a factory tow rating later. If you’re planning to run a gooseneck or fifth wheel then look for the factory Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package which puts the hitch platform under the bed. Gooseneck, fifth wheel or bumper pull? Goosenecks and fifth wheels both result in the trailer weight being over the rear axle. A gooseneck couples to a ball in the bed. A fifth wheel uses a larger hitch plate which picks up a pin on the trailer and that's what most of the big RV campers use. On a gas truck either one will bump the rating up by 2k to 4k lbs. On a diesel it's all over the place. The regular cab diesel with the Max Trailering Package gets nearly 8,000 lbs, most of the diesel crew cabs get under 1,000 lbs and the diesel ZR2 and High Country crew cab standard bed actually lose 400 lbs on a gooseneck. For hay, for cattle and for equipment, a lot of the guys in Northeast Texas run a gooseneck anyway. Just check the gooseneck number on the label before you assume it’s the bigger one. A bumper pull will be perfectly adequate for a utility trailer, a small stock trailer or a boat heading to Lake Bob Sandlin on Saturday. Just remember to read the rating that matches your hitch. How do you find the real number for one truck? Open the driver’s door and look for the Trailering Information label on the door pillar. That will give you the ratings for that specific truck (not the best build in the brochure). Then do the payload math. That’s where most people go wrong. A gooseneck will typically put 15 to 25% of the trailer’s weight on the hitch. So a 15k lb trailer can be putting 2,250 to 3,750 lbs on your bed before you even add a fuel tank, a toolbox or a passenger. A lot of trucks run out of payload before they get to their tow rating. If you want to, bring the trailer weight and what you’ve got in the bed. We’ll match that to a truck on the lot and show you the label prior to you signing anything. What changes on the 2027 Silverado HD? Production of the 2027 Silverado HD is set to start in November 2026. The biggest change in Chevy HD towing for 2027 is a new 8.3L Duramax V8 (555 hp, 1,230 lb-ft) which replaces the 6.6L diesel. The gas V8 is up to 412 hp and 472 lb-ft. Chevrolet has confirmed the conventional HD limit remains at 20,000 lbs. You might see a 38,000 lb headline for 2027. Don’t assume that applies to the 2500HD. On the 2026 trucks the 36,000 lb headline was generated by a 3500HD dually. GM hasn’t released the full 2027 chart for the 2500HD yet. The 2027 diesel is also more expensive. The 8.3L is an $11,400 option. For the majority of the work people do in Northeast Texas, a 2026 truck on the lot today will do the job. Why buy a 2500HD from Sandlin Chevrolet? Bob Sandlin bought into the Chevrolet store here in 1937, and Sandlin Chevrolet in Mount Pleasant, Texas (204 E 16th St) is still in the family after four generations. Yes, the lake is named for him. Chevy is the Heartbeat of America. In these parts that means trucks that are going to be hauling feed, cattle and equipment for people who work for a living. That’s who we’re selling to. What the customers keep coming back to is how the deal works. “no gimmicks. No high pressure” is one comment. “The transparency was refreshing” is another. You won’t find a discount here that only applies if you finance with us, trade in and meet five other conditions. The figure we give you is the figure you can get. Juan Cruz, who took home the award for Best Car Salesperson in the Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune Readers’ Choice Awards, knows these trucks and knows the rating charts. People drive in from all over Northeast Texas and some from Louisiana and the Dallas area. The drive is all worth it when you get a straight deal. Call our sales team at 903-285-6644 or just come in to the store. Frequently asked questions Can a gas Silverado 2500HD pull a gooseneck? Yes. The 6.6L gas V8 is rated to 18,700 lbs with a gooseneck or fifth wheel on a 2WD Regular Cab Long Bed. Most of the gas Crew Cabs are rated at around 18,000 lbs. Does the Silverado 2500HD ZR2 tow less? A bit. The 2026 ZR2 is rated at 16k lbs gas and 18.5k lbs diesel on a ball hitch, and 18.1k lbs on a gooseneck with either engine. When should you go up to a 3500HD? When your loaded trailer is going past what a 2500HD is rated for, or when you need more payload for hitch weight. The 2026 3500HD dually with the Duramax is rated to 36,000 lbs with a gooseneck. What is the most a Silverado 2500HD can tow on a bumper pull? 20,000 lbs. That takes a Crew Cab with the Duramax and the Max Trailering Package.