"I'm Waiting": Beating Rate, Model Year and Tax Refund Stalls

“We love it. We’re just going to wait.”

Wait for what? Rates to drop. The new model. The tax refund. Sometimes all three in the same sentence.

A waiting stall sounds reasonable, and that is what makes it dangerous. The customer is not saying no. They are saying “not yet,” and “not yet” turns into “bought somewhere else” faster than most reps think.

This post gives you math-first answers to the three most common waiting stalls. No pressure lines, no fake deadlines. Just the numbers the customer should see before deciding, and a follow-up plan for the ones who still wait. Rates, incentives and tax timing change constantly, so check the specifics with your finance office and desk before you quote anything.

Waiting is a stall, not a decision

When a buyer says “I’m waiting,” they have usually decided on the car. What they have not decided is whether now is smart. That is a fear of regret, not a no.

Treat it like every other objection in our post on the objections you hear every week, especially “I’m not buying today”: agree, ask, advance. Never argue with the reason. Get the real reason, then show the math on that one thing.

“That makes sense. Nobody wants to buy and then find out they should have waited. Can I ask what you’re waiting for, exactly?”

Find out what they’re really waiting for

The first reason is often the polite one. Dig once more:

“If rates were already where you want them, would you do it today? Or is there something else?”

You will hear one of four things:

• A real trigger. A rate, a model, a refund, a lease ending, a bonus.
• A spouse or partner who has not seen the numbers.
• A number that is not working yet (payment, trade or cash down).
• Nerves. They need a reason to feel good about moving now.

Only the first one is truly about timing. The other three are objections wearing a costume, and you already know how to answer those. If money is the real issue, see our post on rate objections.

“I’m waiting for rates to drop”: the payment math

This is where most reps panic. Do not. Rates move in small steps, and small steps move a payment less than people think.

Here is example math on a $35,000 loan for 72 months:

• At 7 percent, the payment is about $597 a month.
• At 6 percent, it is about $580. A full point saves roughly $17 a month, or about $1,200 over the loan.
• A quarter-point drop saves about $4 a month.

Now the other side. If the price goes up $1,000 or a $1,000 incentive ends while they wait, the payment on $36,000 at 6 percent is about $597. That is the same payment they could have today at 7 percent.

“Rates might come down. Let’s see what that’s worth. On this car, a full point is about $17 a month and a quarter point is about $4. If the price or an incentive moves $1,000 while you wait, that wipes out the whole point. Want to see your real numbers side by side, today versus waiting?”

Then let your finance office show real numbers. That is example math, not a quote.

Two more honest points:

• Their current car keeps aging. Every month adds miles and wear to the trade.
• Refinancing sometimes happens later, if rates drop a lot and the customer’s credit supports it. It depends on the lender, so never promise it. You can say “some people look at that later” and leave it there.

The mistake that kills it: “Rates are going up next month, buy now.” You do not know that. Nobody does. Show math, not predictions.

“I’m waiting for the new model”: model year and incentive timing

First, find out what they expect to change.

“What are you hoping is different on the new one?”

Then be honest about which kind of model year change it is.

• A redesign. New body, new features, maybe a new powertrain. If the thing they want only comes in the redesign, waiting can be the right call. Say so.
• A carryover. Same car, new year on the title, maybe a new color or a small price increase. Here the outgoing model often has the stronger incentives once the new one lands, but colors and trims get harder to find as inventory sells down.

There is one real trade-off to explain. A car bought as the outgoing model year is a year older on paper when it is time to trade. The discount has to be worth that, and on a carryover it often is.

“The new one is basically the same car with a different year on it. This one has the better program right now, and it’s the color you want. The trade-off is it will be a year older on paper when you trade it. Let me show you the difference so you can decide if it’s worth it.”

Model year timing varies by brand and model, and incentive programs change often, sometimes monthly. Check current programs with your desk before you mention any of them.

“I’m waiting for my tax refund”: deals that work now

Start with timing, because most buyers guess wrong. The IRS says most e-filed returns are processed in about three weeks, and by law refunds on returns that claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit are held until mid-February. A buyer in January may be waiting well over a month.

Then show what the refund does to the deal. In the example above, $3,000 more down lowers the payment by about $51 a month. That is real. The question is whether the deal works without it.

“Congrats on the refund. Let’s look at it two ways: the deal today with what you have now, and the deal with the refund down. If today works, you drive it now. If it doesn’t, we’ll know exactly what we’re waiting for.”

Options that may work now, depending on your store and lenders (ask your finance office first):

• The deal works without the refund. The customer can put the refund toward the loan later. Tell them to ask the lender how extra payments are applied, because they usually reduce the balance, not the monthly payment.
• The first payment is not due right away. On most auto loans the first payment comes due weeks after delivery. Finance can tell them the exact date.
• Hold the car with a deposit, only if your store allows it, with the deposit terms in writing.
• A different car that fits what they have today.

Never promise a refund amount or date, and never suggest listing money on a deal that the customer does not have yet. Tax questions go to their tax professional.

When waiting is the right call (and how to keep the deal)

Sometimes waiting is smart. Say so, and you earn the sale later.

• The redesign they want is actually coming.
• Their credit is about to improve and finance says it would change the approval.
• Their lease ends soon and an early exit would cost them.
• The budget truly is not there yet.

“Honestly, waiting makes sense for you. Let me write down everything we worked out today, so when your refund lands we pick up right here instead of starting over. Is it okay if I reach out that week? Do you prefer a call or a text?”

Write down the car, the stock number, the numbers, the trade, the trigger and the date. Only text customers who have said yes to texts.

The follow-up plan for buyers who still wait

Speed still matters, even with a waiting buyer. A 2025 study of more than 8 million sales opportunities found about 75 percent of sales happen in the first three days of a lead, and close rates fall from 12.4 percent in days one to three to 2.3 percent in days four to seven. So work the first three days hard, then switch to trigger-based follow-up.

1. Same day: a thank-you and a written recap of the numbers.
2. Day two or three: one useful piece of information tied to their stall. A new rate program, an arrival date on the new model or a reminder of their refund timing.
3. Every week or two: a short check-in with something new, never “just checking in.”
4. The trigger date: call when the refund should land, the new model arrives or the program changes.
5. If they go quiet: move them into your older-lead routine from reviving dead leads.

For the call and text habits that make this work, use the follow-up plan.

Quick checklist

• Agree, then ask what exactly they are waiting for.
• Ask once more to find the real reason behind the polite one.
• Rates: show a full point and a quarter point in dollars per month.
• Model year: find out if it is a redesign or a carryover.
• Refund: show the deal today and the deal with the refund, side by side.
• Never predict rates or promise a refund date.
• If waiting is right, say so and write everything down.
• Set a trigger date and follow up on it.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a lower interest rate really change a car payment?

Less than most buyers think. On a $35,000 loan for 72 months, going from 7 percent to 6 percent saves about $17 a month, and a quarter point saves about $4. Use your finance office’s real numbers with the customer.

Is it better to buy the outgoing model year?

On a carryover model, the outgoing year often has stronger incentives, but the car is a year older on paper at trade time. On a redesign, the new features may be worth waiting for. Show both sides and let the customer decide.

How long does a tax refund take to arrive?

The IRS says most e-filed returns are processed in about three weeks, and refunds that include the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit are held until mid-February by law. Tell customers to check their own refund status and never promise a date.

Should I push a buyer who wants to wait?

No. Show the math, answer the real reason and respect the decision. A buyer who feels respected comes back. A buyer who feels pushed buys somewhere else.

What to do tomorrow morning

Work out the full-point and quarter-point payment difference on your three most common deals and keep those numbers on a card in your pocket. Then pull every “waiting” customer from the last 30 days and give each one a trigger date.

If the stall shows up on the phone before the buyer ever comes in, read our BDC appointment objections next.