MSN Auto is a service provided by Autotrader. They only deal in cash transactions. They do not support buyers that require financing. Here is the dialog I had with them recently:

"
Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with 'kelly'
kelly: Welcome to MSN Autos! How may I help you ?
you: Hi Kelly.
kelly: Hello. do you have an active transaction with MSN Autos ? If you , please let me know your transaction number.
you: I'm potentially going to purchase a vehicle which is listed on Autotrader. I am going to finance this purchase so my lender needs a copy of the title (front and back) to identify the lien holders etc and know who to make the check/wire transfers to. How do I go about getting the title copies to my lender?
kelly: I am afraid this is impossible. All the sellers who chose to close a transaction with MSN Autos forwards us the title but we can't give you this personal document.
you: So MSN Autos does not support financed transactions?
kelly: No, we only accept direct bank wire transfers. As well we inform all our seller to specify from the beginning that we don't accept financed transactions.
kelly: We only receive the total amount and keep it until the buyer receives the vehicle. We don't work with loans or other payment methods.
you: Okay, What assurance do I have that if I transfer monies to MSN Auto that you will pay off all lien holders and I won't be liable/stuck with that additional debt?
kelly: Well, MSN Autos will receive the payment, not the seller. As well, we are not allowed by law to release any payment to the seller until you receive the vehicle with all it's documents including signed title and bill of sale, inspect the vehicle and documents and take a decision. We can release the payment to the seller only after we receive your confirmation.
you: Got it. But if the seller elects NOT to pay off the their creditors, I'm stuck with that debt. This brings me to my first request, to see a copy of the title so me and my lender know who really owns the car. From what I gather, MSN Auto makes to claim is assuring that this won't happen and therefor cannot protect the buying party. Is that an accurate paraphrase?
kelly: MSN Autos is responsible for any problems and you will be refunded. Before we send you a invoice we will verify all the documents. We will only contact you with a invoice if the transaction is approved by our specialists. This means, the the title must be signed and without any lien on it!
you: OOhhhhh....well that helps me understand. You only deal with "clean title" vehicles. That now makes sense. Okay then. I'll contact the seller. Thanks for you time.
you: Is there a phone number I can call or website I can visit. I'd like to know who I'm talking to or who to call prior to wiring money in the blind.
kelly: Yes, we will only contact you with a invoice if the title is clear and it has no liens on it.
kelly: We only offer our customer email or live chat support since we need to record all our transaction. In this was we have a full evidence of all the transactions and we can offer 100% safety to our buyers & sellers."


-DR

If you can't see the car, or they claim its ready for transit, then consider it a scam. I offered to fly out to look at the vehicle and give them cash on the spot if I liked it, and they said no. They'd only do what you read in the post of this thread.

__________________
2001 BMW X5 4.4 Sport | No Mods Yet!
2001 BMW 740i Sport | 18" M-Parallel Rims | Clear Corners | AFE CAI | MAGNAFLOW EXHAUST | SOLD
1995 BMW 540i | Style 5's | Clear Corners & Sidemarkers | Smilie Headlights | SOLD

Word...

I offered to fly out with certified funds but the seller kept saying "why do you need to see the title?" I think they didn't know that MSN Auto only deal in cash. MSN Auto holds the title until the car is sold which means they are holding it hostage (of sorts).

Good thing I did the research first. On with my X5 search...