The Foursquare: How Dealers Control the Deal (And How to Flip the Script)

What Is the Foursquare?

If you’ve ever sat down in the finance office and watched a salesperson scribble numbers in four boxes on a sheet—you’ve met the Foursquare.

Also called the “4-box worksheet,” this tool is the dealership’s favorite shell game.
It looks simple. It’s anything but.

The boxes break down like this:

Box 1Box 2Box 3Box 4Vehicle PriceTrade-In ValueDown PaymentMonthly Payment

Looks harmless, right?

But this form isn’t built to help you. It’s built to distract, confuse, and control.

🎩 The Dealer’s Magic Trick

The Foursquare is where math gets fuzzy and profit gets hidden. Here’s how the game is played:

🪄 Step 1: They Ask What You Want Most

“Are you more concerned with the monthly payment, price, or down payment?”

Whichever you say, that becomes the carrot. Everything else gets juggled behind the curtain.

💸 Step 2: They Pump the Numbers

Let’s say you want a $450 monthly payment.
They may:

  • Jack up the price of the car

  • Inflate the interest rate

  • Undervalue your trade

  • Stretch the loan term to 72 or 84 months

You get the payment you wanted—but you’re overpaying everywhere else.

🔄 Step 3: They “Work the Desk”

The salesperson takes your offer to the manager. What really happens?

  • A play is made.

  • Numbers shift.

  • Profits are preserved.

Then they come back like they’re doing you a favor.

🧠 How to Flip the Script

You’re not just a buyer. You’re The 615 Negotiator’s client. That changes everything.

Here’s how to break their playbook:

✅ 1. Never Talk Monthly Payment First

This is their trap. Say this instead:

“Let’s talk about the price of the car first.”

Anchor the conversation in hard numbers, not smoke.

✅ 2. Get Independent Trade Appraisals

Use sites like CarMax, Carvana, or KBB Instant Cash Offer to know your trade’s real value.

Then say:

“I know what my trade’s worth. Let’s not lowball it.”

✅ 3. Separate the Numbers

Force the deal into three separate conversations:

  • Car price

  • Trade value

  • Financing terms

This stops the shell game.

✅ 4. Bring in a Pro (That’s Us)

We destroy the Foursquare game. We negotiate each number individually—
and we bring real lender offers, real market data, and real leverage.

🚫 The Foursquare Is Not Your Friend

It’s designed to maximize dealer profit by confusing buyers into fixating on just one number.

With one sheet of paper, they:

  • Hide thousands in back-end profits

  • Manipulate numbers to meet their goals

  • Convince you you’re winning

We’re here to make sure you actually do.

🎤 Final Word from The 615 Negotiator

The Foursquare might be their game...
But when we’re in your corner?

We change the rules.

Want us to review your deal—or keep you out of the box entirely?
Let’s talk before they even pull the form.