Outsmart the Lot
Outsmart the Lot
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Psychological Warfare

The Waiting Game

Why do they leave you alone in a cubicle for 20 minutes? It's not because the printer is broken.

The Strategy

The Simple Version

Dealers intentionally make you wait to wear down your patience. A tired, hungry buyer is more likely to sign a bad deal just to go home.

The Tactic: After you agree to a price, the salesperson says, "Let me get the paperwork started," and disappears.

You sit there for 15, 20, 30 minutes. You check your phone. You drink the stale coffee. You get bored.

Why they do it:

  • To lower your resistance to upsells in the Finance Office.
  • To make you feel "invested" in the deal (Sunk Cost Fallacy).
  • To let the "excitement" of the new car fade into "exhaustion."

What's Next?

Holding the Keys

Physical coercion tactic

Battle Plans

Step-by-step buying guides

Negotiation Scripts

Take back control

Red Flag Detector

Quick in-dealership reference