Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information Supplemental Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 26,480	$ 25,930	$ 23,677	$ 21,526
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	107,072	99,716
Finance Receivables	1,634,622	1,495,340
Allowance for Credit Losses	(252,590)	(221,533)	(208,000)
Finance Receivables, net	1,382,032	1,273,807
Dealer Finance Receivables	40,956	24	0
Inventory	270,733	212,330
Property and Equipment, net	94,397	90,669
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	67,447	64,353
Total Assets	1,989,117	1,766,829
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	17,346	9,759
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	81,939	77,841
Portfolio Term Financings	1,049,478	782,634
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	57,200	141,392
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	198,320
Senior Secured Notes Payable	193,320	198,058
Other Secured Notes Payable	117,281	99,296
Total Liabilities	1,521,564	1,308,980
Total Shareholders' Equity	467,553	457,849	418,767	293,145
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	1,989,117	1,766,829
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Consolidated Entities [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	7,424	3,469	3,910	943
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	270,733	212,330
Property and Equipment, net	70,668	67,579
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	924,764	847,728
Total Assets	1,273,589	1,131,106
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	17,342	9,759
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	897,986	788,954
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,160
Senior Secured Notes Payable		99,029
Other Secured Notes Payable	103,053	84,500
Total Liabilities	1,117,541	982,242
Total Shareholders' Equity	156,048	148,864
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	1,273,589	1,131,106
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries Combined [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	6,937	2,869	3,588	790
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	270,733	212,330
Property and Equipment, net	70,668	67,579
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	1,226,409	1,316,338
Total Assets	1,574,747	1,599,116
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	17,342	9,759
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	1,006,791	904,341
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0
Senior Secured Notes Payable		0
Other Secured Notes Payable	91,320	84,500
Total Liabilities	1,115,453	998,600
Total Shareholders' Equity	459,294	600,516
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	1,574,747	1,599,116
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	482	595	322	153
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	0	0
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	26,480	12,840
Total Assets	26,962	13,435
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	695	352
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0
Senior Secured Notes Payable		0
Other Secured Notes Payable	11,733	0
Total Liabilities	12,428	352
Total Shareholders' Equity	14,534	13,083
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	26,962	13,435
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | DriveTime Automotive Group, Inc [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	5	5	0	0
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	0	0
Investment in Subsidaires	473,828	613,599
Other Assets	383,689	242,936
Total Assets	857,522	856,540
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	602,314	608,647
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,160
Senior Secured Notes Payable		99,029
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	701,474	707,676
Total Shareholders' Equity	156,048	148,864
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	857,522	856,540
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	0	0
Investment in Subsidaires	(473,828)	(613,599)
Other Assets	(711,814)	(724,386)
Total Assets	(1,185,642)	(1,337,985)
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	(711,814)	(724,386)
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0
Senior Secured Notes Payable		0
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	(711,814)	(724,386)
Total Shareholders' Equity	(473,828)	(613,599)
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	(1,185,642)	(1,337,985)
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Consolidated Entities [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	19,056	22,461	19,767	20,583
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	107,072	99,716
Finance Receivables	1,634,622	1,495,340
Allowance for Credit Losses	(252,590)	(221,533)
Finance Receivables, net	1,382,032	1,273,807
Dealer Finance Receivables	40,956	24
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	23,729	23,090
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	878,710	773,296
Total Assets	2,451,555	2,192,394
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	4	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	919,980	845,558
Portfolio Term Financings	1,049,478	782,634
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	57,200	141,392
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,160
Senior Secured Notes Payable		99,029
Other Secured Notes Payable	14,228	14,796
Total Liabilities	2,140,050	1,883,409
Total Shareholders' Equity	311,505	308,985
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	2,451,555	2,192,394
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries Combined [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	9	52	285	41
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	16,163	22,517
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	40,956	24
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	5,807	4,085
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	496,384	705,731
Total Assets	559,319	732,409
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	4	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	521,476	647,665
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0
Senior Secured Notes Payable		0
Other Secured Notes Payable	1,774	2,135
Total Liabilities	523,254	649,800
Total Shareholders' Equity	36,065	82,609
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	559,319	732,409
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	423	396	516	550
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	90,909	77,199
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	15,216	16,029
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	1,352,295	1,176,065
Total Assets	1,458,843	1,269,689
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	6,703	6,148
Portfolio Term Financings	1,069,974	803,130
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	57,200	141,392
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0
Senior Secured Notes Payable		0
Other Secured Notes Payable	12,454	12,661
Total Liabilities	1,146,331	963,331
Total Shareholders' Equity	312,512	306,358
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	1,458,843	1,269,689
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | DriveTime Automotive Group, Inc [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	18,624	22,013	18,966	19,992
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	1,634,622	1,495,340
Allowance for Credit Losses	(252,590)	(221,533)
Finance Receivables, net	1,382,032	1,273,807
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	2,706	2,976
Investment in Subsidaires	348,577	388,967
Other Assets	887,248	783,441
Total Assets	2,639,187	2,471,204
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	2,228,522	2,063,190
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,160
Senior Secured Notes Payable		99,029
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	2,327,682	2,162,219
Total Shareholders' Equity	311,505	308,985
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	2,639,187	2,471,204
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	0	0
Investment in Subsidaires	(348,577)	(388,967)
Other Assets	(1,857,217)	(1,891,941)
Total Assets	(2,205,794)	(2,280,908)
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	(1,836,721)	(1,871,445)
Portfolio Term Financings	(20,496)	(20,496)
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0
Senior Secured Notes Payable		0
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	(1,857,217)	(1,891,941)
Total Shareholders' Equity	(348,577)	(388,967)
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	(2,205,794)	(2,280,908)
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	0	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	0	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	0	0
Investment in Subsidaires	0	0
Other Assets	(1,736,027)	(1,556,671)
Total Assets	(1,736,027)	(1,556,671)
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	(1,736,027)	(1,556,671)
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0
Senior Secured Notes Payable		0
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	(1,736,027)	(1,556,671)
Total Shareholders' Equity	0	0
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	$ (1,736,027)	$ (1,556,671)