What Is the Most Affordable New Chevy SUV in Northeast Texas?

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.

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.

If you’re looking for a Chevy or Chevrolet dealer near Longview or Gilmer then Sandlin Chevrolet in Mount Pleasant, Texas, is about 51 miles from Longview and 30 from Gilmer (US 271 takes you most of the way). There are Chevy dealerships closer to home. The deal at the end of this drive though has no games in it. That’s the honest pitch. Sandlin isn’t the nearest Chevy outlet. But the journey is well worth it and here’s why. How far is Sandlin Chevrolet from Longview and Gilmer? From Longview it’s a little over an hour. From Gilmer it’s about 40 minutes. Both towns take the same route: From Longview: Take SH 300 (Gilmer Road) northwest out of town. It’s about 19 miles and ends at US 271 on the south edge of Gilmer. From Gilmer: Take US 271 north, stay on it through Pittsburg in Camp County and on into Mount Pleasant. The store: 204 E 16th St, Mount Pleasant, TX 75455. That’s roughly 51 miles from Longview and 30 from Gilmer. It’s an easy drive north into Northeast Texas with no interstate until you get to Mount Pleasant. What do Longview and Gilmer drivers need from a truck? Longview builds things. It’s the seat of Gregg County and some of its major employers are Eastman Chemical, Komatsu and Trinity Rail (chemicals, mining machinery and rail equipment respectively). A lot of the people there drive into the plant gate every week and then hook up a trailer on the weekend. Gilmer is the Upshur County seat (pop. ~4,800). It hosts the Yamboree, a sweet potato festival which began in 1935 and is held the third weekend in October. It’s a huge event drawing over 100,000 people. There’s a livestock show as part of the Yamboree so you’ll see stock trailers all over the place in October. Lake Gilmer is four miles west of town. Most of the people who make the journey from either end are after a Silverado. The 1500 is the one that does the commute and the weekend bumper pull. The 2500HD is the one you go for if you’re after a gooseneck or a loaded stock trailer. If you don’t know which build will tow what then our Silverado 2500HD towing guide has the figures broken down by cab, bed and engine. Not everyone needs a truck though. If you just need something good on the gas for the commute to work then have a look at the Trax, the Trailblazer and the Equinox. Same rules, same deal, just a smaller vehicle. Why drive past the Chevy stores closer to home? Because the number you get here is the number you pay. Sandlin doesn’t run a discount that only kicks in if you finance with them, have a trade and meet three other conditions. You can get on the phone there too. Call 903-285-6644 and ask your questions prior to even getting in the truck. If you’d like to speak to a particular person, you can ask for Juan Cruz. He was voted Best Car Salesperson in the Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune Readers’ Choice Awards and is named in several reviews. Some customers go a lot farther than you will. One customer switched to Sandlin after 15 years and 8 vehicles bought at a Dallas dealership. Another drove all the way home to Louisiana after buying here. Longview is a very short trip by comparison. A 50 mile drive is still a real cost. You’re spending a morning and a tank of gas. A deal with all sorts of hidden conditions costs more than that and you don’t usually find out until you’re sitting at the finance desk. How do you make the drive worth it? Do a bit of homework prior to your departure from Longview or Gilmer. It’ll save you a wasted trip. Call ahead at 903-285-6644 to check whether the truck you saw online is still on the lot. Trucks do sell and you don’t want to drive 50 miles for one that’s gone. Ask for the out the door price in writing. A straight deal is a deal that can stand up on paper. If a number can’t go in an email then it’s not really a number. Bring your trade paperwork. That means your title, or your payoff info if you still owe on it, your driver’s license and proof of insurance. Bring your trailer numbers if you’re buying a tow rig. Know the loaded weight and whether it’s a gooseneck or a bumper pull. That’s how you match the truck to the trailer rather than just guessing. No need to worry about the tax. Texas assesses a 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax on the price less your trade-in. It’s the same rate in Mount Pleasant as it is in Longview or Gilmer. Who is Sandlin Chevrolet? Bob Sandlin bought into the Chevrolet store in Mount Pleasant in 1937. It’s still in the family after four generations and yes, Lake Bob Sandlin is named for him. Chevy is the Heartbeat of America. That’s a phrase that absolutely fits a place that’s been selling Chevys right here since before WWII. There are still some of the Chevy hats and jackets from the 80s and 90s in the building. The clientele hasn’t changed much either. They’re the same sort of people who work a job and need a truck to do the same. The store is 204 E 16th St. It’s a small town dealership in Northeast Texas and runs as such. You deal with people who see their customers around town. Call 903-285-6644 prior to heading up 271 and get your numbers first. Frequently asked questions How far is Sandlin Chevrolet from Longview, TX? Approximately 51 miles (a little over an hour). Take SH 300 northwest to Gilmer, then US 271 north to Mount Pleasant. How far is Sandlin Chevrolet from Gilmer, TX? Approximately 30 miles (about 40 minutes). Take US 271 north through Pittsburg. Will I pay more sales tax if I buy in Mount Pleasant? No. The Texas motor vehicle sales tax is 6.25% of the sales price less your trade-in and it’s the same rate throughout the state. Do Sandlin’s prices come with all the conditions stacked on them? No. Sandlin doesn’t stack financing, trade-in and all the other stuff on the price. Ask for the out-the-door number in writing before you even get in the car. Can I trade in a vehicle I didn’t buy from Sandlin? Yes. Just bring the title or your payoff information if you still owe on it. Your trade will also reduce the amount of sales tax you pay.