Finance Assets (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	$ 2,059,814,000	$ 2,187,754,000
Unguaranteed residual values	176,732,000	205,893,000
Unearned income	(422,982,000)	(450,904,000)
Allowance for credit losses	(26,958,000)	(40,700,000)
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	1,786,606,000	1,902,043,000
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	451,947,000	477,568,000
Allowance for credit losses	(17,665,000)	(22,730,000)
Loans Receivable, Net	434,282,000	454,838,000
Troubled Debt Restructuring	5,000,000	7,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructuring Allowance	1,000,000	2,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructuring Write-down	1,000,000
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	63,430,000
Amounts charged to expense	7,432,000
Accounts written off	(26,239,000)
Balance Closing	44,623,000	63,430,000
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	2,374,974,000	2,529,792,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	53,875,000	64,635,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	40,144,000	34,762,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	12,186,000	10,633,000
Greater than 120 days	30,582,000	25,500,000
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross	2,511,761,000	2,665,322,000
Still accruing interest	9,559,000	8,119,000
Not accruing interest	33,209,000	28,014,000
TOTAL	42,768,000	36,133,000
Approximate percentage of portfolio greater than 90 days past due	1.70%
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Reported Amount	2,220,888,000	2,356,881,000
Risk Level, Low [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	30.00%
Risk Level, Medium [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	40.00%
Risk Level, High [Member]
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	30.00%
North America [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	1,424,848,000	1,536,156,000
Loan Receivables
Loans Receivable, Net	388,622,000	416,359,000
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Reported Amount	1,813,470,000	1,952,515,000
International [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	361,758,000	365,887,000
Loan Receivables
Loans Receivable, Net	45,660,000	38,479,000
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Reported Amount	407,418,000	404,366,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	1,603,444,000	1,727,653,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Low [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	1,070,643,000	1,096,676,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Medium [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	416,138,000	473,394,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, High [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	50,222,000	58,177,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | Not Scored [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	66,441,000	99,406,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | North America [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	1,603,444,000	1,727,653,000
Unguaranteed residual values	155,999,000	185,450,000
Unearned income	(317,457,000)	(348,286,000)
Allowance for credit losses	(17,138,000)	(28,661,000)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	28,661,000
Amounts charged to expense	1,171,000
Accounts written off	(12,694,000)
Balance Closing	17,138,000
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	1,520,139,000	1,641,706,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	30,160,000	41,018,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	29,187,000	24,309,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	6,441,000	4,912,000
Greater than 120 days	17,517,000	15,708,000
Still accruing interest	6,441,000	4,912,000
Not accruing interest	17,517,000	15,708,000
TOTAL	23,958,000	20,620,000
Sales-type Lease Receivables [Member] | International [Member]
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	456,370,000	460,101,000
Unguaranteed residual values	20,733,000	20,443,000
Unearned income	(105,525,000)	(102,618,000)
Allowance for credit losses	(9,820,000)	(12,039,000)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	12,039,000
Amounts charged to expense	1,489,000
Accounts written off	(3,708,000)
Balance Closing	9,820,000
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	429,389,000	434,811,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	8,996,000	10,152,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	5,444,000	5,666,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	3,118,000	3,207,000
Greater than 120 days	9,423,000	6,265,000
Still accruing interest	3,118,000	3,207,000
Not accruing interest	9,423,000	6,265,000
TOTAL	12,541,000	9,472,000
Loan Receivables [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	404,099,000	436,631,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Low [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	258,849,000	269,547,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, Medium [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	126,984,000	115,490,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Risk Level, High [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	15,114,000	21,081,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | Not Scored [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	3,152,000	30,513,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | North America [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	404,099,000	436,631,000
Allowance for credit losses	(15,477,000)	(20,272,000)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	20,272,000
Amounts charged to expense	4,069,000
Accounts written off	(8,864,000)
Balance Closing	15,477,000
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	382,897,000	414,434,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	11,268,000	12,399,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	4,302,000	4,362,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	2,280,000	2,328,000
Greater than 120 days	3,352,000	3,108,000
Still accruing interest	0	0
Not accruing interest	5,632,000	5,436,000
TOTAL	5,632,000	5,436,000
Loan Receivables [Member] | International [Member]
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	47,848,000	40,937,000
Allowance for credit losses	(2,188,000)	(2,458,000)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	2,458,000
Amounts charged to expense	703,000
Accounts written off	(973,000)
Balance Closing	2,188,000
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	42,549,000	38,841,000
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	3,451,000	1,066,000
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	1,211,000	425,000
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	347,000	186,000
Greater than 120 days	290,000	419,000
Still accruing interest	0	0
Not accruing interest	637,000	605,000
TOTAL	$ 637,000	$ 605,000