Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2009	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross long-term debt		$ 5,271,884,000	$ 5,271,884,000	$ 4,884,133,000	$ 5,271,884,000
Medium-term notes face amount				59,211,000	200,000,000
Loss on debt extinguishment			(85,200,000)	9,608,000	85,247,000
Debt to equity ratio				10.00
Write off of capitalized debt issuance costs		1,400,000
Debt annual interest	15.00%
Global Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross long-term debt		315,900,000	315,900,000	195,600,000	315,900,000
Unsecured Commercial Paper [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate of commercial paper				1.05%	1.38%
Maturity range, days				365
Medium-Term Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized discounts on the Notes		2,200,000	2,200,000	1,900,000	2,200,000
5.00% Medium Term Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Medium-term notes face amount					200,000,000
Stated percentage of debt instrument		5.00%	5.00%		5.00%
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of senior notes repurchased		297,000,000
Repurchase of senior notes		380,800,000
Loss on debt extinguishment		85,200,000
Debt mature date	Feb. 01, 2014
Senior unsecured notes	600,000,000	600,000,000	600,000,000		600,000,000
Fiscal Quarter Ended Through June 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum interest coverage ratio				2.25
Fiscal Quarter Ended Through June 2013 Thereafter [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum interest coverage ratio				2.50
New 364-Day Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility initiation date				April 28, 2011
364 Day Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility initiation date				April 2011
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				675,000,000
Debt instrument maturity range, days				364
4 Year Credit Facility Maturing April 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				675,000,000
Line of credit facility maturity date				April 2015
3 Year Credit Facility Maturing April 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				675,000,000
Debt instrument range, years				3
Line of credit facility maturity date				April 2013
3 Year Credit Facility Maturing 2011 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument range, years				3
HDFS [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity under conduit facility				600,000,000
Intercompany revolving credit line				210,000,000
Repurchase of senior notes				49,900,000
Loss on debt extinguishment				(9,600,000)
HDFS [Member] | 6.8% Medium Term Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Medium-term notes				1,000,000,000
Stated percentage of debt instrument				6.80%
Debt mature date				Jun. 01, 2018
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, outstanding borrowings		0	0	0	0
Conduit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, outstanding borrowings		0	0	0	0
SPEs [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured notes issued through term asset-backed securitization transactions		$ 600,000,000	$ 600,000,000	$ 1,090,000,000	$ 600,000,000