5. Interest Income and Interest Expense (Details - Interest income) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Components of interest income
Interest on finance receivables	$ 37,807	$ 62,290
Interest on finance receivables at fair value	40,806	22,815
Mark to finance receivables measured at fair value	(10,350)	0
Other interest income	523	740
Interest income	$ 68,786	$ 85,845

Mark to finance receivables measured at fair value

No definition available.

Name:	cpss_MarkToFinanceReceivablesMeasuredAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	cpss_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the total of interest and dividend income, including any amortization and accretion (as applicable) of discounts and premiums, earned from (1) loans and leases whether held-for-sale or held-in-portfolio; (2) investment securities; (3) federal funds sold; (4) securities purchased under agreements to resell; (5) investments in banker's acceptances, commercial paper, or certificates of deposit; (6) dividend income; or (7) other investments not otherwise specified herein.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.1-5)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestAndDividendIncomeOperating
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of interest income and other income recognized during the period. Included in this element is interest derived from investments in debt securities, cash and cash equivalents, and other investments which reflect the time value of money or transactions in which the payments are for the use or forbearance of money and other income from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestAndOtherIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestAndOtherIncomeAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest earned from receivables purchased; for instance, receivables purchased through a factoring arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestIncomePurchasedReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accretion (amortization) of discount (premium), and investment expense, of interest income and dividend income on nonoperating securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(a),(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.8)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration