Description Of Business, Ownership Formation, Basis Of Presentation, And Principles Of Consolidation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description Of Business, Ownership Formation, Basis Of Presentation, And Principles Of Consolidation	Description of Business, Ownership, Basis of Presentation, and Principles of Consolidation Description of Business DriveTime Automotive Group, Inc. (“DTAG”) (referred to herein as “we,” “our,” “the Company,” and “us”), through its subsidiaries, owns and operates used automobile dealerships in the United States focusing on the sale and financing of used vehicles to the subprime credit market. The subprime credit market is comprised of customers with modest incomes who have experienced credit difficulties, have very limited credit histories, and/or do not have access to obtain their own source of financing from third-party finance companies. Therefore, we provide financing for substantially all of the vehicles we sell. Since many of our customers may be unable to obtain financing to purchase a vehicle from another company, financing is an essential component of the services that we provide our customers. We fund this portfolio primarily through portfolio warehouse facilities, securitizations, and other portfolio term financings. In December 2011, as a supplement to our core operations, we launched a new indirect lending business segment, GO Financial ("GO"). GO provides indirect auto financing to third-party automobile dealerships collateralized by pools of subprime auto loans and is a separate operating segment. Ownership DTAG and DTAC are sister companies, generally with DTAG directing our retail vehicle sales operations and DTAC directing our financing and collections operations. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the shareholders of DTAG and DTAC were Ernest C. Garcia II (Chairman) and the Garcia Family Trusts (collectively, herein also referred to as “Principal Shareholder” or “Mr. Garcia”) owning 100.0 shares, or 98.3% of each of DTAG and DTAC, and Raymond C. Fidel (President and CEO) owning 1.8 shares or 1.7% of each of DTAG and DTAC. Basis of Presentation We have determined that DTAC is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and DTAG is the primary beneficiary of DTAC. Therefore, the accounts of DTAG and DTAC are consolidated and intercompany transactions between DTAG and DTAC are eliminated in consolidation. We determined DTAG is the primary beneficiary of DTAC because DTAG has both (1) the power to direct the activities of DTAC that most significantly impact DTAC’s economic performance and (2) a potentially significant variable interest that carries with it the obligation to absorb the losses or the right to receive benefits of DTAC. DTAG has the power to direct the activities of DTAC because it originates and sells 100% of the loans DTAC is required to purchase, sets underwriting standards and origination terms, sets servicing and collection policies administered by DTAC, as well as the fact that DTAC was created and designed by DTAG to obtain third party financing for DTAG’s originations. DTAG also has potentially significant variable interests in the form of debt capital provided to DTAC through various debt issuances, guarantees of DTAC’s debt, as well as operational liabilities owed to DTAG, all of which carry the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits of DTAC. Creditors of DTAC generally do not have recourse to the general credit of DTAG, except that the special purpose entity ("SPE") related to our term residual facility entered into a demand note with DTAC. The demand note is guaranteed by DTAG. (See Note 8—Debt Obligations for further information.) Total assets of DTAC consolidated into DTAG are comprised primarily of net finance receivables, cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, investments held in trust, and deferred financing costs. Total liabilities consolidated into DTAG are comprised primarily of portfolio warehouse, portfolio term, and senior secured debt. Total revenue of DTAC consolidated into DTAG is comprised of interest and dealer finance income. DTAC expenses are comprised of provision for credit losses, interest expense and general and administrative expenses. Also included in the consolidated financial statements are SPEs of DTAC, which are all bankruptcy remote entities formed in conjunction with our securitizations, warehouse facilities, residual facility, real estate financing, and bank term financing transactions. We have determined that these SPEs' are VIE's and DTAC is the primary beneficiary. Therefore, all intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation for all periods presented. We determined DTAC is the primary beneficiary of these SPEs because DTAC has both (1) the power to direct the activities of the SPEs that most significantly impact the SPEs' economic performance and (2) a potentially significant variable interest that carries with it the obligation to absorb the losses or the right to receive benefits of DTAC. DTAC has the power to direct the activities of these SPEs because it services the loans in each of the securitizations, warehouse facilities and other lending arrangements. DTAC also has potentially significant variable interests in the form of holding the residual certificates for securitizations and rights to residual cash flows of the warehouse facilities. Creditors of the SPEs generally do not have recourse to the general credit of DTAC, except through servicing performance guarantees. For more information regarding DTAC's financial position and results of operations and the SPEs' financial position and results of operations consolidated into DTAG and DTAC, respectively, see Note—18 Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information. The consolidated balance sheets have been adjusted to reflect Mr. Garcia's basis in the Company through the application of push-down accounting, as it relates to his acquisition of the Company in March 2002 when he acquired our predecessor, Ugly Duckling Corporation. Although not material, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to be consistent with the current period financial statement presentation.

Description of Business, Ownership, Basis of Presentation, and Principles of Consolidation

Description of Business

DriveTime Automotive Group, Inc. (“DTAG”) (referred to herein as “we,” “our,” “the Company,” and “us”), through its subsidiaries, owns and operates used automobile dealerships in the United States focusing on the sale and financing of used vehicles to the subprime credit market. The subprime credit market is comprised of customers with modest incomes who have experienced credit difficulties, have very limited credit histories, and/or do not have access to obtain their own source of financing from third-party finance companies. Therefore, we provide financing for substantially all of the vehicles we sell. Since many of our customers may be unable to obtain financing to purchase a vehicle from another company, financing is an essential component of the services that we provide our customers. We fund this portfolio primarily through portfolio warehouse facilities, securitizations, and other portfolio term financings.

In December 2011, as a supplement to our core operations, we launched a new indirect lending business segment, GO Financial ("GO"). GO provides indirect auto financing to third-party automobile dealerships collateralized by pools of subprime auto loans and is a separate operating segment.

Ownership

DTAG and DTAC are sister companies, generally with DTAG directing our retail vehicle sales operations and DTAC directing our financing and collections operations. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the shareholders of DTAG and DTAC were Ernest C. Garcia II (Chairman) and the Garcia Family Trusts (collectively, herein also referred to as “Principal Shareholder” or “Mr. Garcia”) owning 100.0 shares, or 98.3% of each of DTAG and DTAC, and Raymond C. Fidel (President and CEO) owning 1.8 shares or 1.7% of each of DTAG and DTAC.

Basis of Presentation

We have determined that DTAC is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and DTAG is the primary beneficiary of DTAC. Therefore, the accounts of DTAG and DTAC are consolidated and intercompany transactions between DTAG and DTAC are eliminated in consolidation. We determined DTAG is the primary beneficiary of DTAC because DTAG has both (1) the power to direct the activities of DTAC that most significantly impact DTAC’s economic performance and (2) a potentially significant variable interest that carries with it the obligation to absorb the losses or the right to receive benefits of DTAC. DTAG has the power to direct the activities of DTAC because it originates and sells 100% of the loans DTAC is required to purchase, sets underwriting standards and origination terms, sets servicing and collection policies administered by DTAC, as well as the fact that DTAC was created and designed by DTAG to obtain third party financing for DTAG’s originations. DTAG also has potentially significant variable interests in the form of debt capital provided to DTAC through various debt issuances, guarantees of DTAC’s debt, as well as operational liabilities owed to DTAG, all of which carry the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits of DTAC. Creditors of DTAC generally do not have recourse to the general credit of DTAG, except that the special purpose entity ("SPE") related to our term residual facility entered into a demand note with DTAC. The demand note is guaranteed by DTAG. (See Note 8—Debt Obligations for further information.)

Total assets of DTAC consolidated into DTAG are comprised primarily of net finance receivables, cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, investments held in trust, and deferred financing costs. Total liabilities consolidated into DTAG are comprised primarily of portfolio warehouse, portfolio term, and senior secured debt. Total revenue of DTAC consolidated into DTAG is comprised of interest and dealer finance income. DTAC expenses are comprised of provision for credit losses, interest expense and general and administrative expenses.

Also included in the consolidated financial statements are SPEs of DTAC, which are all bankruptcy remote entities formed in conjunction with our securitizations, warehouse facilities, residual facility, real estate financing, and bank term financing transactions. We have determined that these SPEs' are VIE's and DTAC is the primary beneficiary. Therefore, all intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation for all periods presented. We determined DTAC is the primary beneficiary of these SPEs because DTAC has both (1) the power to direct the activities of the SPEs that most significantly impact the SPEs' economic performance and (2) a potentially significant variable interest that carries with it the obligation to absorb the losses or the right to receive benefits of DTAC. DTAC has the power to direct the activities of these SPEs because it services the loans in each of the securitizations, warehouse facilities and other lending arrangements. DTAC also has potentially significant variable interests in the form of holding the residual certificates for securitizations and rights to residual cash flows of the warehouse facilities. Creditors of the SPEs generally do not have recourse to the general credit of DTAC, except through servicing performance guarantees.

For more information regarding DTAC's financial position and results of operations and the SPEs' financial position and results of operations consolidated into DTAG and DTAC, respectively, see Note—18 Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information.

The consolidated balance sheets have been adjusted to reflect Mr. Garcia's basis in the Company through the application of push-down accounting, as it relates to his acquisition of the Company in March 2002 when he acquired our predecessor, Ugly Duckling Corporation. Although not material, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to be consistent with the current period financial statement presentation.