The best car loan rates can be found online from a number of financial companies. Unlike dealership financing, online lenders have to compete with low rates and fees for your business. And you can find these cheap rates on lenders' sites, or you can also get a personalized loan quote to find the best available car financing.

Late, but nevertheless they have marked their presence. Kotak must surely be one of the last major fund houses to launch an infrastructure fund. Its newest close-ended offering will invest a majority of its corpus in stocks of infrastructure-related companies in India, and will invest the rest in companies outside the country in the similar space.

While looking for car loans, car loans interest is one aspect every borrower and lender thinks about. Car loans can be a tough decision, if you do not have any reliable information to fall back on. You need to decide on the type of loan you are eligible for. Remember that loans depend greatly on your credit ratings. If your credits ratings are not something you would like to rely on for great interest rates, look around for no credit auto loans. Here, however, you have to note that no credit auto loans will invariably have higher interest rates and stricter rules. If you have been declared bankrupt in the recent past, a Compare car loan can be the answer to your problems.

Doha Bank has inked a deal with India's Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited, leading Mutual Fund managers, to distribute their products here.

Kotak Mahindra Bank announced that the ESOP allotment committee of the bank, at its meeting held on Nov. 2, 2007, allotted 42,480 equity shares of Rs 10 each, pursuant to exercise of stock options granted under the Kotak Mahindra equity option scheme 2005.

Private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank launched a Visa gold debit card card which offers free access to all ATMs in India and worldwide.

Indian ratings agency ICRA said it has assigned an 'LAA' rating with a stable outlook to Kotak Mahindra Prime Ltd's (KMPL) proposed 1 bln rupees subordinated debt programme, citing the car finance company's strong ownership, its ability to increase business volumes profitably, adequate capitalization and comfortable liquidity profile.

KMPL is a part of the Kotak group, whose flagship company Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd has an outstanding rating of 'LAA+' for its long-term subordinated debt programme.

Imagine buying a Beamer for the EMI of an Endeavour! Affordable car finance, earlier limited to mass market cars, is now available for luxury cars as well. Top of the line marques like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are now available at equated monthly installments (EMI) very close to those of premium cars like Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Sonata.

Luxury car companies hope the finance options and some aggressive packages will help roll in big numbers. In the volume car market, 75% of all sales are financed, while 60% of luxury cars are financed. German car maker BMW, which started rolling out its India-assembled cars earlier this year, has roped in ICICI Bank for a financing deal which includes its own outfit BMW Financial Services.

Kotak Mahindra, which currently does not have a tie-up with a luxury marque, also believes that there is a huge potential in luxury car financing. Company chief executive Sumit Bali said: "We do not have a tie-up with a luxury car company but we do retail financing for all these cars. There are balloon payment options where higher down payments during purchase leads to lower incremental EMIs comparable to a premium car."

Many people now are opting to enjoy a vacation today and pay tomorrow. Do you want to do it too, asks Priya Pathiyan .

What it's all about

The Indian traveller has come of age. There's been a spurt in the domestic tourism market. The figures show 273 million travellers in 2002 rising to 300 million in 2003.

And the travel spend for Indians travelling abroad is expected to touch the Rs 192 billion mark by the end of this year. But given our penchant for bargains, it's not surprising that the Indian traveller is scouting around for the best deals before planning a holiday.

Why go for it?

Market perceptions have changed today, and availing of a loan is not looked down upon today as it was only a decade ago.

Yogesh Selarka, head, international tours, Raj Travels, explains: "It normally costs a family of four to take a trip to the Far East or Australia almost Rs 2 lakh, which is like buying a car! But even the middle-class traveller doesn't have any qualms about high travel spend, as he can avail of a loan which is repayable in easy installments."

Who's eligible?

Ranjit Malkani, CEO of Kuoni India, one of the larger travel operators in the Indian market, avers that their deferred payment schemes attract a fair share of travellers from all profiles - salaried, professionals and businessmen.

Where to get it?

An ICICI representative confirms that their tie-up with other industry biggie, the 245-year-old Cox & Kings, offers various financing options too.

Kuoni has a tie-up with Kotak Mahindra Bank and offers customers the option to pay their Easy/Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs) over a period of 12 to 36 months.

How to pick the best deals

Shop Around: Get a fair idea of the market rates for transport and accomodation

Time it: Well Interest rates fluctuate, so it's wise to pick a time to avail of a loan when they're dipping

Haggle: Don't hesitate to bargain and get all your doubts cleared. Today the prize (best deal) goes to the tough customer rather than the polite one

Get the Basics Right: Check what the tour includes. Some basics it should feature are economy class airfare to and fro, hotel accommodation, all meals, coach tours, sightseeing and surface transportation

Be Suspicious: Outbound travellers should check whether the tour cost includes extras like entrance charges to museums and rides, specialty places that are advertised heavily but often conveniently left out of actual itineraries

If hardening interest rates have forced you to postpone your decision to buy a car, banks are all set to offer respite. Taking a hit on commissions of direct selling agents, ICICI and Kotak Mahindra have decided to reduce their interest rack rates (inclusive of DTA commissions) on car loans, reducing the effective interest rates from 15.5% to 13.5%.

While ICICI's new car loan rates became effective on Friday, Kotak Mahindra's car loan interest rates would be implemented from Monday. HDFC will follow suit and take a decision by Monday.

"The general market sentiment had become negative after hardening of interest rates and hence we took the decision to take a hit on our intermediary cost. This will provide the end consumer a reduced interest rate," says ICICI Bank's group head-car and commercial vehicle loans, NR Narayanan. The latest end-consumer interest rates can help save around Rs 2,000 every year on a car loan.

Imagine buying a Beamer for the EMI of an Endeavour! Affordable car finance, earlier limited to mass market cars, is now available for luxury cars as well. Top of the line marques like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are now available at equated monthly installments (EMI) very close to those of premium cars like Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, and Hyundai Sonata.

Luxury car companies hope the finance options and some aggressive packages will help roll in big numbers. In the volume car market, 75% of all sales are financed, while 60% of luxury cars are financed. German car maker BMW, which started rolling out its India-assembled cars earlier this year, has roped in ICICI Bank for a financing deal which includes its own outfit BMW Financial Services.

Kotak Mahindra, which currently does not have a tie-up with a luxury marque, also believes that there is a huge potential in luxury car financing. Company chief executive Sumit Bali said: "We do not have a tie-up with a luxury car company but we do retail financing for all these cars. There are balloon payment options where higher down payments during purchase leads to lower incremental EMIs comparable to a premium car."

Planning for your dream car to get it financed just make a quick corrections in your calculations of EMI's and have to do a hard work in the entire package again.

Direct Selling Agents (DSAs) of Kotak Mahindra Primus told The Times of India that their principals have already indicated the hike to them discreetly.

Kotak Mahindra official said thatIn some markets it has already started, while it will spread to other areas gradually and by January it will be across the region.Kotak Mahindra now charges a rack rate of 13.75% for a three year loan for a B segment car (Santro, Wagon R, Zen) and 13.25% for a 5 year loan.

There are various schemes available in the market that you can choose according to your need

Margin Money Scheme

In this scheme, we finance your car for upto 90% for certain models. You will have to give us a down payment for the margin amount, ( invoice value minus Finance amount). The financed amount can be repaid as per your convenience in tenures of 12 months to 60 months at your convenience either through Equated monthly Installments or a differential plan that we can tailor for you to minimize your outflow.

Step Up Scheme

In this scheme, the EMI increases after every year, six month or quarter depending upon the customer needs. This is best suited for people who want to experience the luxury of the car and wants to pay in line with their growing income starting from Low EMI in the early period of repayment.

Low EMI Balloon Scheme

In this scheme 10%-25% of the cost of the car is paid as last EMI , thereby reducing the EMI for the entire tenure.Thescheme is for customers who want to dispose off their vehicle at the end of the tenure but are looking at affordable EMI's during the tenure

Advance EMI Scheme

In this scheme, you make the payments of a few monthly installments upfront. The balance is payable through Equal Monthly Installments. With the advance installments you can repay your loan much faster.

Special schemes offered by KMPL

From time to time we bring in special schemes under tie up with various manufacturers.

Kotak Mahindra Prime , not only offers you attractive finance schemes but also helps you with, Sale of existing car, Credit life and your Car Insurance.