Supplemental Consolidating Financial Information Supplemental Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 25,731	$ 26,480	$ 22,766	$ 25,930
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	126,951	107,072
Finance Receivables	1,739,540	1,634,622
Allowance for Credit Losses	(269,622)	(252,590)	(237,027)	(221,533)
Finance Receivables, net	1,469,918	1,382,032
Dealer Finance Receivables	74,753	40,956	5,473	24
Inventory	228,876	270,733
Property and Equipment, net	96,113	94,397
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	57,313	67,447
Total Assets	2,079,655	1,989,117
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	18,581	17,346
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	105,770	81,939
Portfolio Term Financings	989,206	1,049,478
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	145,000	57,200
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	198,392	198,320
Other Secured Notes Payable	136,668	117,281
Total Liabilities	1,593,617	1,521,564
Total Shareholders' Equity	486,038	467,553
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	2,079,655	1,989,117
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
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	(2,294,850)	(1,736,027)
Total Assets	(2,294,850)	(1,736,027)
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	(2,294,850)	(1,736,027)
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0	0
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	(2,294,850)	(1,736,027)
Total Shareholders' Equity	0	0
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	(2,294,850)	(1,736,027)
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries Combined [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	3,327	6,937	9,145	2,868
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	228,876	270,733
Property and Equipment, net	72,924	70,668
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	1,428,316	1,226,409
Total Assets	1,733,443	1,574,747
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	18,571	17,342
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	1,270,241	1,006,791
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0	0
Other Secured Notes Payable	111,321	91,320
Total Liabilities	1,400,133	1,115,453
Total Shareholders' Equity	333,309	459,294
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	1,733,442	1,574,747
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	510	482	81	595
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
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	26,135	26,480
Total Assets	26,645	26,962
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	108	695
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0	0
Other Secured Notes Payable	11,269	11,733
Total Liabilities	11,377	12,428
Total Shareholders' Equity	15,268	14,534
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	26,645	26,962
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	5	5	5	5
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
Investments in Subsidiaries	348,577	473,828
Other Assets	480,864	383,689
Total Assets	829,446	857,522
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	605,229	602,314
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,196	99,160
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	704,425	701,474
Total Shareholders' Equity	125,021	156,048
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	829,446	857,522
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
Investments in Subsidiaries	(348,577)	(473,828)
Other Assets	(706,690)	(711,814)
Total Assets	(1,055,267)	(1,185,642)
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	(706,690)	(711,814)
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0	0
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	(706,690)	(711,814)
Total Shareholders' Equity	(348,577)	(473,828)
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	(1,055,267)	(1,185,642)
Drive Time Automotive Group, Inc. [Member] | Consolidated [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	3,842	7,424	9,231	3,468
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	228,876	270,733
Property and Equipment, net	72,924	70,668
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	1,228,625	924,764
Total Assets	1,534,267	1,273,589
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	18,571	17,342
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	1,168,888	897,986
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,196	99,160
Other Secured Notes Payable	122,590	103,053
Total Liabilities	1,409,245	1,117,541
Total Shareholders' Equity	125,021	156,048
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	1,534,266	1,273,589
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries Combined [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	52	9	199	52
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	25,027	16,163
Finance Receivables	279	0
Allowance for Credit Losses	0	0
Finance Receivables, net	279	0
Dealer Finance Receivables	74,753	40,956
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	5,457	5,807
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	649,462	496,384
Total Assets	755,030	559,319
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	10	4
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	726,350	521,476
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0	0
Other Secured Notes Payable	1,681	1,774
Total Liabilities	728,041	523,254
Total Shareholders' Equity	26,989	36,065
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	755,030	559,319
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	257	423	302	397
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	101,924	90,909
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	15,211	15,216
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	1,455,383	1,352,295
Total Assets	1,572,775	1,458,843
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	6,459	6,703
Portfolio Term Financings	1,005,499	1,069,974
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	145,000	57,200
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0	0
Other Secured Notes Payable	12,397	12,454
Total Liabilities	1,169,355	1,146,331
Total Shareholders' Equity	403,421	312,512
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	1,572,776	1,458,843
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	21,580	18,624	13,034	22,013
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	0	0
Finance Receivables	1,739,261	1,634,622
Allowance for Credit Losses	(269,622)	(252,590)
Finance Receivables, net	1,469,639	1,382,032
Dealer Finance Receivables	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	2,521	2,706
Investments in Subsidiaries	430,410	348,577
Other Assets	1,129,613	887,248
Total Assets	3,053,763	2,639,187
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	2,593,550	2,228,522
Portfolio Term Financings	0	0
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,196	99,160
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	2,692,746	2,327,682
Total Shareholders' Equity	361,017	311,505
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	3,053,763	2,639,187
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
Investments in Subsidiaries	(430,410)	(348,577)
Other Assets	(2,110,920)	(1,857,217)
Total Assets	(2,541,330)	(2,205,794)
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	0	0
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	(2,094,627)	(1,836,721)
Portfolio Term Financings	(16,293)	(20,496)
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	0	0
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	0	0
Other Secured Notes Payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	(2,110,920)	(1,857,217)
Total Shareholders' Equity	(430,410)	(348,577)
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	(2,541,330)	(2,205,794)
DT Acceptance Corp [Member] | Consolidated [Member]
ASSETS [Abstract]
Cash and Cash Equivalents	21,889	19,056	13,535	22,462
Restricted Cash and Investments Held in Trust	126,951	107,072
Finance Receivables	1,739,540	1,634,622
Allowance for Credit Losses	(269,622)	(252,590)
Finance Receivables, net	1,469,918	1,382,032
Dealer Finance Receivables	74,753	40,956
Inventory	0	0
Property and Equipment, net	23,189	23,729
Investments in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Assets	1,123,538	878,710
Total Assets	2,840,238	2,451,555
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts Payable	10	4
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities	1,231,732	919,980
Portfolio Term Financings	989,206	1,049,478
Portfolio Warehouse Facilities	145,000	57,200
Senior Notes, Including Related Party Portion	99,196	99,160
Other Secured Notes Payable	14,078	14,228
Total Liabilities	2,479,222	2,140,050
Total Shareholders' Equity	361,017	311,505
Total Liabilities & Shareholders’ Equity	$ 2,840,239	$ 2,451,555