14. Fair Value measurements (Details - Fair value) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Secured by Finance Receivables Measured at Fair Value:
Balance at end of period	$ 1,250us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure	$ 13,117us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Finance Receivables Measured at Fair Value:
Balance at beginning of period	14,476	59,668
Payments on finance receivables at fair value	(12,276)	(43,122)
Charge-offs on finance receivables at fair value	(846)	(2,896)
Discount accretion	283	1,421
Mark to fair value	27	(595)
Balance at end of period	1,664	14,476
Debt Secured by Finance Receivables Measured at Fair Value:
Balance at beginning of period	13,117	57,107
Principal payments on debt at fair value	(12,456)	(45,969)
Premium accretion	712	2,726
Mark to fair value	(123)	(747)
Balance at end of period	1,250	13,117
Reduction for principal payments collected and payable	0	(1,654)
Adjusted balance at end of period	$ 1,250	$ 11,463

Charge-offs on finance receivables at fair value

No definition available.

Name:	cpss_ChargeoffsOnFinanceReceivablesAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	cpss_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Discount accretion

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpss_DiscountAccretion
Namespace Prefix:	cpss_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Payments on finance receivables at fair value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpss_PaymentsOnFinanceReceivablesAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	cpss_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Premium accretion

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpss_PremiumAccretion
Namespace Prefix:	cpss_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Principal payments on debt at fair value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpss_PrincipalPaymentsOnDebtAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	cpss_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reduction for principal payments collected and payable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpss_ReductionForPrincipalPaymentsCollectedAndPayable
Namespace Prefix:	cpss_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrealized (holding) gain (loss) which is included in the statement of income (or changes in net assets) related to those assets still held at the reporting date for which fair value is measured on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsMeasuredOnRecurringBasisChangeInUnrealizedGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationCalculationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationCalculationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized on the income statement for financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityGainLossIncludedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of financial and nonfinancial obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of receivables, including, but not limited to, trade account receivables, note receivables, and loan receivables.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 3, 4

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReceivablesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: