Long-Term Debt (Schedule Of Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	$ 407,908,000		$ 537,291,000		$ 370,572,000
Less current portion	35,939,000		34,273,000		17,689,000
Total long-term debt	371,969,000		503,018,000		352,883,000
Domestic And Multi-Currency Line Of Credit Up To $380,000 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	156,113,000	[1]	280,839,000	[1]	104,034,000	[1]
Domestic And Multi-Currency Line Of Credit Up To $100,000 Due 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	100,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2013
Debt instrument, maturity date	May 29, 2013
Domestic And Multi-Currency Line Of Credit Up To $280,000 Due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	280,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2015
6.21% Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	22,727,000		22,727,000		25,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2021
Debt instrument, interest rate	6.21%
6.09% Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	35,000,000		35,000,000		35,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2016
Debt instrument, interest rate	6.09%
6.12% Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2012 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	13,333,000		16,667,000		26,667,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2012
Debt instrument, interest rate	6.12%
7.26% Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	25,000,000		25,000,000		25,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2017
Debt instrument, interest rate	7.26%
Variable Rate Senior Unsecured Note Due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	47,917,000		50,000,000		50,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2015
Debt instrument, maturity date	Mar. 31, 2015
5.25% Convertible Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	107,818,000		107,058,000		104,871,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2029
Debt instrument, interest rate	5.25%
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from initial public offering	$ 350,000,000

[1] $100.0 million of the available balance matures on the earlier of May 29, 2013 or the second business day following the closing of the proposed initial public offering of common stock of Enova if it generates at least $350.0 million in net proceeds.