Finance Assets (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	$ 2,151,497,000	$ 2,187,754,000
Unguaranteed residual values	194,604,000	205,893,000
Unearned income	(441,903,000)	(450,904,000)
Allowance for credit losses	(35,949,000)	(40,700,000)
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	1,868,249,000	1,902,043,000
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	456,721,000	477,568,000
Allowance for credit losses	(18,453,000)	(22,730,000)
Net investment in loan receivables	438,268,000	454,838,000
Net investment in finance receivables	2,306,517,000	2,356,881,000
Troubled Debt Restructuring	6,000,000	7,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructuring Allowance	2,000,000	2,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructuring Write-down	1,000,000
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Balance Beginning	63,430,000
Amounts charged to expense	(1,433,000)
Accounts written off	(7,595,000)
Balance Closing	54,402,000	63,430,000
Financing Receivable Recorded Investment Past Due [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	2,471,810,000	2,529,792,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	57,899,000	64,635,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	37,006,000	34,762,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	14,169,000	10,633,000
Greater than 120 days	27,334,000	25,500,000
TOTAL	2,608,218,000	2,665,322,000
Still accruing interest	11,286,000	8,119,000
Not accruing interest	30,217,000	28,014,000
TOTAL	41,503,000	36,133,000
Approximate percentage of portfolio greater than 90 days past due	1.60%
Risk Level, Low [Member]
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	30.00%
Risk Level, Medium [Member]
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	40.00%
Risk Level, High [Member]
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	30.00%
North America [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	1,503,719,000	1,536,156,000
Loan Receivables
Net investment in loan receivables	398,014,000	416,359,000
Net investment in finance receivables	1,901,733,000	1,952,515,000
International [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	364,530,000	365,887,000
Loan Receivables
Net investment in loan receivables	40,254,000	38,479,000
Net investment in finance receivables	404,784,000	404,366,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	1,692,255,000	1,727,653,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Low [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	1,037,825,000	1,096,676,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Medium [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	504,349,000	473,394,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, High [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	55,059,000	58,177,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Not Scored [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	95,022,000	99,406,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | North America [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	1,692,255,000	1,727,653,000
Unguaranteed residual values	173,542,000	185,450,000
Unearned income	(337,164,000)	(348,286,000)
Allowance for credit losses	(24,914,000)	(28,661,000)
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Balance Beginning	28,661,000
Amounts charged to expense	(1,330,000)
Accounts written off	(2,417,000)
Balance Closing	24,914,000
Financing Receivable Recorded Investment Past Due [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	1,604,761,000	1,641,706,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	35,892,000	41,018,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	25,941,000	24,309,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	7,530,000	4,912,000
Greater than 120 days	18,131,000	15,708,000
TOTAL	1,692,255,000	1,727,653,000
Still accruing interest	7,530,000	4,912,000
Not accruing interest	18,131,000	15,708,000
TOTAL	25,661,000	20,620,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | International [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	459,242,000	460,101,000
Unguaranteed residual values	21,062,000	20,443,000
Unearned income	(104,739,000)	(102,618,000)
Allowance for credit losses	(11,035,000)	(12,039,000)
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Balance Beginning	12,039,000
Amounts charged to expense	572,000
Accounts written off	(1,576,000)
Balance Closing	11,035,000
Financing Receivable Recorded Investment Past Due [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	432,790,000	434,811,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	10,495,000	10,152,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	6,238,000	5,666,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	3,756,000	3,207,000
Greater than 120 days	5,963,000	6,265,000
TOTAL	459,242,000	460,101,000
Still accruing interest	3,756,000	3,207,000
Not accruing interest	5,963,000	6,265,000
TOTAL	9,719,000	9,472,000
Loan Receivables [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	415,425,000	436,631,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Low [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	253,803,000	269,547,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Medium [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	136,881,000	115,490,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, High [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	18,965,000	21,081,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Not Scored [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	5,776,000	30,513,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | North America [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	415,425,000	436,631,000
Allowance for credit losses	(17,411,000)	(20,272,000)
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Balance Beginning	20,272,000
Amounts charged to expense	283,000
Accounts written off	(3,144,000)
Balance Closing	17,411,000
Financing Receivable Recorded Investment Past Due [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	394,913,000	414,434,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	10,542,000	12,399,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	4,318,000	4,362,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	2,732,000	2,328,000
Greater than 120 days	2,920,000	3,108,000
TOTAL	415,425,000	436,631,000
Still accruing interest	0	0
Not accruing interest	5,652,000	5,436,000
TOTAL	5,652,000	5,436,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | International [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	41,296,000	40,937,000
Allowance for credit losses	(1,042,000)	(2,458,000)
Activity In The Allowance For Credit Losses For Sales Type Lease And Loan Receivables [Abstract]
Balance Beginning	2,458,000
Amounts charged to expense	(958,000)
Accounts written off	(458,000)
Balance Closing	1,042,000
Financing Receivable Recorded Investment Past Due [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	39,346,000	38,841,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	970,000	1,066,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	509,000	425,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	151,000	186,000
Greater than 120 days	320,000	419,000
TOTAL	41,296,000	40,937,000
Still accruing interest	0	0
Not accruing interest	471,000	605,000
TOTAL	$ 471,000	$ 605,000