Commitments And Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments And Contingencies	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Legal Proceedings We are involved, and will continue to be involved, in numerous legal proceedings arising out of the conduct of our business, including litigation with customers, employment-related lawsuits, class actions, purported class actions, and actions brought by governmental authorities. We do not believe that the ultimate resolution of these matters will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. However, the results of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, and an unfavorable resolution of one or more of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. Other Matters AutoNation, acting through its subsidiaries, is the lessee under many real estate leases that provide for the use by our subsidiaries of their respective store premises. Pursuant to these leases, our subsidiaries generally agree to indemnify the lessor and other related parties from certain liabilities arising as a result of the use of the leased premises, including environmental liabilities, or a breach of the lease by the lessee. Additionally, from time to time, we enter into agreements with third parties in connection with the sale of assets or businesses in which we agree to indemnify the purchaser or related parties from certain liabilities or costs arising in connection with the assets or business. Also, in the ordinary course of business in connection with purchases or sales of goods and services, we enter into agreements that may contain indemnification provisions. In the event that an indemnification claim is asserted, our liability would be limited by the terms of the applicable agreement. From time to time, primarily in connection with dispositions of automotive stores, our subsidiaries assign or sublet to the store purchaser the subsidiaries’ interests in any real property leases associated with such stores. In general, our subsidiaries retain responsibility for the performance of certain obligations under such leases to the extent that the assignee or sublessee does not perform, whether such performance is required prior to or following the assignment or subletting of the lease. Additionally, AutoNation and its subsidiaries generally remain subject to the terms of any guarantees made by us and our subsidiaries in connection with such leases. Although we generally have indemnification rights against the assignee or sublessee in the event of non-performance under these leases, as well as certain defenses, we estimate that lessee rental payment obligations during the remaining terms of these leases with expirations ranging from 2012 to 2034 are approximately $57 million at September 30, 2012. We do not have any material known commitments that we or our subsidiaries will be called on to perform under any such assigned leases or subleases at September 30, 2012. Our exposure under these leases is difficult to estimate and there can be no assurance that any performance of AutoNation or its subsidiaries required under these leases would not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and cash flows. At September 30, 2012, surety bonds, letters of credit, and cash deposits totaled $91.5 million, including $56.5 million of letters of credit. In the ordinary course of business, we are required to post performance and surety bonds, letters of credit, and/or cash deposits as financial guarantees of our performance. We do not currently provide cash collateral for outstanding letters of credit. In the ordinary course of business, we are subject to numerous laws and regulations, including automotive, environmental, health and safety, and other laws and regulations. We do not anticipate that the costs of such compliance will have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated results of operations, cash flows, or financial condition, although such outcome is possible given the nature of our operations and the extensive legal and regulatory framework applicable to our business. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law on July 21, 2010, established a new consumer financial protection agency with broad regulatory powers. Although automotive dealers are generally excluded, the Dodd-Frank Act could lead to additional, indirect regulation of automotive dealers through its regulation of automotive finance companies and other financial institutions. In addition, we expect that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law on March 23, 2010, will increase our annual employee health care costs that we fund, with the most significant increases commencing in 2014. Further, we expect that new laws and regulations, particularly at the federal level, in other areas may be enacted, which could also materially adversely impact our business. We do not have any material known environmental commitments or contingencies.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Legal Proceedings

We are involved, and will continue to be involved, in numerous legal proceedings arising out of the conduct of our business, including litigation with customers, employment-related lawsuits, class actions, purported class actions, and actions brought by governmental authorities. We do not believe that the ultimate resolution of these matters will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. However, the results of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, and an unfavorable resolution of one or more of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Other Matters

AutoNation, acting through its subsidiaries, is the lessee under many real estate leases that provide for the use by our subsidiaries of their respective store premises. Pursuant to these leases, our subsidiaries generally agree to indemnify the lessor and other related parties from certain liabilities arising as a result of the use of the leased premises, including environmental liabilities, or a breach of the lease by the lessee. Additionally, from time to time, we enter into agreements with third parties in connection with the sale of assets or businesses in which we agree to indemnify the purchaser or related parties from certain liabilities or costs arising in connection with the assets or business. Also, in the ordinary course of business in connection with purchases or sales of goods and services, we enter into agreements that may contain indemnification provisions. In the event that an indemnification claim is asserted, our liability would be limited by the terms of the applicable agreement.

From time to time, primarily in connection with dispositions of automotive stores, our subsidiaries assign or sublet to the store purchaser the subsidiaries’ interests in any real property leases associated with such stores. In general, our subsidiaries retain responsibility for the performance of certain obligations under such leases to the extent that the assignee or sublessee does not perform, whether such performance is required prior to or following the assignment or subletting of the lease. Additionally, AutoNation and its subsidiaries generally remain subject to the terms of any guarantees made by us and our subsidiaries in connection with such leases. Although we generally have indemnification rights against the assignee or sublessee in the event of non-performance under these leases, as well as certain defenses, we estimate that lessee rental payment obligations during the remaining terms of these leases with expirations ranging from 2012 to 2034 are approximately $57 million at September 30, 2012. We do not have any material known commitments that we or our subsidiaries will be called on to perform under any such assigned leases or subleases at September 30, 2012. Our exposure under these leases is difficult to estimate and there can be no assurance that any performance of AutoNation or its subsidiaries required under these leases would not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and cash flows.

At September 30, 2012, surety bonds, letters of credit, and cash deposits totaled $91.5 million, including $56.5 million of letters of credit. In the ordinary course of business, we are required to post performance and surety bonds, letters of credit, and/or cash deposits as financial guarantees of our performance. We do not currently provide cash collateral for outstanding letters of credit.

In the ordinary course of business, we are subject to numerous laws and regulations, including automotive, environmental, health and safety, and other laws and regulations. We do not anticipate that the costs of such compliance will have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated results of operations, cash flows, or financial condition, although such outcome is possible given the nature of our operations and the extensive legal and regulatory framework applicable to our business. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law on July 21, 2010, established a new consumer financial protection agency with broad regulatory powers. Although automotive dealers are generally excluded, the Dodd-Frank Act could lead to additional, indirect regulation of automotive dealers through its regulation of automotive finance companies and other financial institutions. In addition, we expect that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law on March 23, 2010, will increase our annual employee health care costs that we fund, with the most significant increases commencing in 2014. Further, we expect that new laws and regulations, particularly at the federal level, in other areas may be enacted, which could also materially adversely impact our business. We do not have any material known environmental commitments or contingencies.