Interim Financial Statements (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Interim Financial Statements [Abstract]

Consolidation

The accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of AutoNation, Inc. and its subsidiaries; all significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use Of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. In preparing these financial statements, management has made its best estimates and judgments of certain amounts included in the financial statements, giving due consideration to materiality. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable. However, application of these accounting policies involves the exercise of judgment and use of assumptions as to future uncertainties and, as a result, actual results could differ materially from these estimates. We periodically evaluate estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of the financial statements and make changes on a prospective basis when adjustments are necessary. Significant estimates made by AutoNation in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include certain assumptions related to goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets, assets held for sale, accruals for chargebacks against revenue recognized from the sale of finance and insurance products, accruals related to self-insurance programs, certain legal proceedings, estimated tax liabilities, estimated losses from disposals of discontinued operations, and certain assumptions related to stock-based compensation.