From Chapter One:

The Car Salesman’s Language: Why They Keep Using It
. . . Even Though You Hate It

“Language is the source of misunderstandings.”
 
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Aviator & Writer (1900 –1944)
 
"...And there it was. ABC Motors’ cable TV ad; “No Money Down and Just $269 per month!” So she loaded Jack into the second love of his life and off they went to the dealership. Maybe they could get the payments even lower by trading in the Mustang, she thought.
 
"Jack and Jill were expecting the $269 they saw on TV. Of course they didn’t take in the details in the ad, because they were on screen for just five of the advertisement’s total thirty seconds. They paid no attention anyway, distracted instead by arguments over Jeopardy answers. And even if the Hills had read all the fine print, would they have been able to prequalify themselves for the offer? Unlikely. It would be almost impossible for consumers to qualify themselves with all the gibberish disclaimers at the end of ads.
 
"Their salesperson, Eric, and the dealership he works for, are blessed by the opportunity of the Hills’ visit today. However, they are also cursed with the challenge of revealing the truth to them. They must disclose the facts about the ad for which the Hills probably won’t qualify and the dreaded reality about Jack’s Mustang. Nobody from the dealership had yet appraised the car or asked them what they still owed on it. But the couple’s ability to trade cars today looked entirely grim in Eric’s eyes. So he self-governed his hopes of selling the couple a car today, deciding instead to remain hopeful.
 
"The Hills had a plan: a clear agenda that customers prepare, prior to ever stepping foot in a car dealership: Get in. Get information. Get out! Their playbook read like John Madden’s advice on my son’s PS3 NFL Football video game. Hone the product-shopping list. Herd up some information. Then hightail it out of there as expediently as possible, careful to avoid any decision-making environment where pressure may loom.
 
"Car dealers, on the other hand, make a living out of putting customers into a decision-making position..."