Lithia Motors (LAD) 10-K 2 Mar 15 2014 FY Annual report Financial data

Document_And_Entity_Informatio

Document And Entity Information (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 02, 2015
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	LITHIA MOTORS INC
Document Type	10-K
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Public Float		$2,214,824,000
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Entity Central Index Key	1023128
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Document Period End Date	31-Dec-14
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2014
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Common Class A [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding			23,688,437
Common Class B [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding			2,562,231

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$29,898,000		$23,686,000
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,191 and $173	295,379,000		170,519,000
Inventories, net	1,249,659,000		859,019,000
Deferred income taxes			1,548,000
Other current assets	32,010,000		15,251,000
Assets held for sale	8,563,000		11,526,000
Total Current Assets	1,615,509,000		1,081,549,000
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $117,679 and $106,871	816,745,000		481,212,000
Goodwill	199,375,000	[1]	49,511,000	[1]
Franchise value	150,892,000		71,199,000
Deferred income taxes			10,256,000
Other non-current assets	98,411,000		31,394,000
Total Assets	2,880,932,000		1,725,121,000
Current Liabilities:
Floor plan notes payable	41,047,000	[2]	18,789,000	[2]
Floor plan notes payable: non-trade	1,137,632,000	[2],[3]	695,066,000	[2],[3]
Current maturities of long-term debt	31,912,000		7,083,000
Trade payables	70,853,000		51,159,000
Accrued liabilities	153,661,000		94,143,000
Deferred income taxes	2,603,000
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	4,892,000		6,271,000
Total Current Liabilities	1,442,600,000		872,511,000
Long-term debt, less current maturities	609,066,000		245,471,000
Deferred revenue	54,403,000		44,005,000
Deferred income taxes	42,795,000
Other long-term liabilities	58,963,000		28,412,000
Total Liabilities	2,207,827,000		1,190,399,000
Stockholders' Equity:
Preferred stock - no par value; authorized 15,000 shares; none outstanding	0		0
Additional paid-in capital	29,775,000		22,598,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	-926,000		-1,538,000
Retained earnings	367,879,000		245,088,000
Total Stockholders' Equity	673,105,000		534,722,000
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	2,880,932,000		1,725,121,000
Common Class A [Member]
Stockholders' Equity:
Common stock, value issued	276,058,000		268,255,000
Common Class B [Member]
Stockholders' Equity:
Common stock, value issued	$319,000		$319,000
[1]	Net of accumulated impairment losses of $299.3 million recorded during the year ended December 31, 2008.
[2]	At December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had an additional $4.9 and $4.8 million of floor plan notes payable outstanding, respectively, on our new vehicle floor plan commitment recorded as liability related to assets held for sale. Additionally, at December 31, 2013, we had $1.5 million of floor plan notes payable on vehicles designated as service loaners recorded as liabilities related to assets held for sale.
[3]	As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had a new vehicle floor plan commitment of $1.25 billion and $700 million, respectively, as part of our credit facility.

Consolidated_Balance_Sheets_Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parentheticals) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Allowance for doubtful accounts (in Dollars)	$2,191	$173
Accumulated depreciation (in Dollars)	$117,679	$106,871
Preferred stock, par value (in Dollars per share)
Preferred stock, shares authorized	15,000	15,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common Class A [Member]
Common stock, par value (in Dollars per share)
Common stock, shares authorized	100,000	100,000
Common stock, shares issued	23,671	23,329
Common stock, shares outstanding	23,671	23,329
Common Class B [Member]
Common stock, par value (in Dollars per share)
Common stock, shares authorized	25,000	25,000
Common stock, shares issued	2,562	2,562
Common stock, shares outstanding	2,562	2,562

Consolidated_Statements_of_Ope

Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:
Sales revenue	$5,390,326	$4,005,749	$3,316,487
Cost of sales:
Cost of revenue	4,567,004	3,374,796	2,777,187
Gross profit	823,322	630,953	539,300
Asset impairments	1,853		115
Selling, general and administrative	563,207	427,400	373,688
Depreciation and amortization	26,363	20,035	17,128
Operating income	231,899	183,518	148,369
Floor plan interest expense	-13,861	-12,373	-12,816
Other interest expense	-10,742	-8,350	-9,621
Other income, net	3,199	2,993	2,525
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	210,495	165,788	128,457
Income tax provision	-74,955	-60,574	-49,062
Income from continuing operations, net of income tax	135,540	105,214	79,395
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax	3,180	786	967
Net income	138,720	106,000	80,362
Basic income per share from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	$5.19	$4.08	$3.09
Basic income per share from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)	$0.12	$0.03	$0.04
Basic net income per share (in Dollars per share)	$5.31	$4.11	$3.13
Shares used in basic per share calculations (in Shares)	26,121	25,805	25,696
Diluted income per share from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	$5.14	$4.02	$3.03
Diluted income per share from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)	$0.12	$0.03	$0.04
Diluted net income per share (in Dollars per share)	$5.26	$4.05	$3.07
Shares used in diluted per share calculations (in Shares)	26,382	26,191	26,170
New Vehicle [Member]
Revenues:
Sales revenue	3,077,670	2,256,598	1,847,603
Cost of sales:
Cost of revenue	2,879,486	2,105,480	1,713,156
Used Retail Vehicle [Member]
Revenues:
Sales revenue	1,362,481	1,032,224	833,484
Cost of sales:
Cost of revenue	1,183,228	881,366	711,763
Used Wholesale Vehicle [Member]
Revenues:
Sales revenue	195,699	158,235	139,237
Cost of sales:
Cost of revenue	192,053	155,524	137,823
Finance and Insurance [Member]
Revenues:
Sales revenue	190,381	139,007	112,234
Service, Body and Parts [Member]
Revenues:
Sales revenue	512,124	383,483	347,703
Cost of sales:
Cost of revenue	262,388	197,913	179,633
Fleet and Other [Member]
Revenues:
Sales revenue	51,971	36,202	36,226
Cost of sales:
Cost of revenue	$49,849	$34,513	$34,812

Consolidated_Statements_of_Com

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Net income	$138,720	$106,000	$80,362
Gain on cash flow hedges, net of tax expense of $380, $668 and $1,175	612	1,077	1,893
Comprehensive income	$139,332	$107,077	$82,255

Consolidated_Statements_of_Com1

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Parentheticals) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Gain on cash flow hedges, tax expense	$380	$668	$1,175

Consolidated_Statements_of_Cha

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (USD $)	Common Class A [Member]	Common Class A [Member]	Common Class B [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Total
In Thousands, except Share data	Common Stock [Member]		Common Stock [Member]	USD ($)	USD ($)	USD ($)	USD ($)
	USD ($)		USD ($)
Balance at December 31, 2011 at Jul. 31, 2011
Repurchase of Class A common stock (shares) (in Shares)		-1,499,776
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014			$319
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2014			2,562,000
Balance at December 31, 2011 at Dec. 31, 2011	279,366		468	10,918	-4,508	80,877	367,121
Balance at December 31, 2011 (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2011	22,195,000		3,762,000
Net income						80,362	80,362
Gain on cash flow hedges, net of tax expense					1,893		1,893
Issuance of stock in connection with employee stock plans	8,652						8,652
Issuance of stock in connection with employee stock plans (shares) (in Shares)	647,000
Issuance of restricted stock to employees (shares) (in Shares)	3,000
Repurchase of Class A common stock	-23,279						-23,279
Repurchase of Class A common stock (shares) (in Shares)	-929,000
Class B common stock converted to Class A common stock	125		-125
Class B common stock converted to Class A common stock (shares) (in Shares)	1,000,000		-1,000,000
Compensation for stock and stock option issuances and excess tax benefits from option exercises	3,937			1,481			5,418
Dividends paid						-12,066	-12,066
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	268,801		343	12,399	-2,615	149,173	428,101
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2012	22,916,000		2,762,000
Net income						106,000	106,000
Gain on cash flow hedges, net of tax expense					1,077		1,077
Issuance of stock in connection with employee stock plans	5,149						5,149
Issuance of stock in connection with employee stock plans (shares) (in Shares)	283,000
Issuance of restricted stock to employees (shares) (in Shares)	117,000
Repurchase of Class A common stock	-7,903						-7,903
Repurchase of Class A common stock (shares) (in Shares)	-187,000
Class B common stock converted to Class A common stock	24		-24
Class B common stock converted to Class A common stock (shares) (in Shares)	200,000		-200,000
Compensation for stock and stock option issuances and excess tax benefits from option exercises	2,184			10,199			12,383
Dividends paid						-10,085	-10,085
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	268,255		319	22,598	-1,538	245,088	534,722
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	23,329,000		2,562,000
Net income						138,720	138,720
Gain on cash flow hedges, net of tax expense					612		612
Issuance of stock in connection with employee stock plans	4,590						4,590
Issuance of stock in connection with employee stock plans (shares) (in Shares)	118,000
Issuance of stock in connection with acquisitions	19,736						19,736
Issuance of stock in connection with acquisitions (in Shares)	269,000
Issuance of restricted stock to employees (shares) (in Shares)	288,000
Repurchase of Class A common stock	-22,968						-22,968
Repurchase of Class A common stock (shares) (in Shares)	-333,000
Compensation for stock and stock option issuances and excess tax benefits from option exercises	6,445			7,177			13,622
Dividends paid						-15,929	-15,929
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$276,058		$319	$29,775	($926)	$367,879	$673,105
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	23,671,000		2,562,000

Consolidated_Statements_of_Cha1

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (Parentheticals) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Gain on cash flow hedges, net of tax expense	$380	$668	$1,175

Consolidated_Statements_of_Cas

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$138,720	$106,000	$80,362
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Asset impairments	1,853		115
Depreciation and amortization	26,363	20,035	17,128
Stock-based compensation	7,436	6,565	3,116
(Gain) loss on disposal of other assets	271	-2,339	-747
(Gain) loss from disposal activities within discontinued operations	-5,744		621
Deferred income taxes	13,355	14,477	14,172
Excess tax benefit from share-based payment arrangements	-6,186	-5,994	-2,802
(Increase) decrease (net of acquisitions and dispositions):
Trade receivables, net	-59,474	-37,370	-33,704
Inventories	-76,002	-106,896	-230,442
Other assets	-31,182	-5,655	-10,370
Increase (decrease) (net of acquisitions and dispositions):
Floor plan notes payable	-647	5,300	-82,109
Trade payables	-3,105	8,480	8,001
Accrued liabilities	-13,472	12,304	10,538
Other long-term liabilities and deferred revenue	38,133	17,152	13,459
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	30,319	32,059	-212,476
Cash flows from investing activities:
Principal payments received on notes receivable	2,882	91	946
Capital expenditures	-85,983	-50,025	-64,584
Proceeds from sales of assets	4,896	4,632	6,027
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	-659,634	-81,105	-44,716
Cash paid for other investments	-9,110	-3,915	-3,288
Proceeds from sales of stores	10,617		6,618
Net cash used in investing activities	-736,332	-130,322	-98,997
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on floor plan notes payable: non-trade	440,341	128,636	348,477
Borrowings on lines of credit	1,435,144	800,000	592,623
Repayments on lines of credit	-1,251,375	-814,355	-580,269
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	124,902	4,720	42,333
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	4,590	4,973	8,652
Excess tax benefit from share-based payment arrangements	6,186	5,994	2,802
Decrease in restricted cash			3,300
Dividends paid	-15,929	-10,085	-12,066
Net cash provided by financing activities	712,225	79,110	333,461
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	6,212	-19,153	21,988
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	23,686	42,839	20,851
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	29,898	23,686	42,839
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid during the period for interest	24,638	21,002	22,976
Cash paid during the period for income taxes, net	63,827	42,682	36,579
Supplemental schedule of non-cash activities:
Debt issued or acquired in connection with acquisitions	55,693		2,609
Floor plan debt acquired in connection with acquisitions	24,686
Floor plan debt paid in connection with store disposals	3,311		6,712
Issuance of Class A common stock in connection with acquisitions	19,736
Common Class A [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repurchase of common stock	-22,968	-7,903	-23,279
Scheduled Payments [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on long-term debt	-8,666	-7,100	-8,347
Other Payments [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal payments on long-term debt		-25,770	-40,765
Continuing Operations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	26,363	20,035	17,128
Deferred income taxes	10,669	8,308	13,998
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			$186

Note_1_Summary_of_Significant_

Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]	(1)           Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
	Organization and Business
	We are a leading operator of automotive franchises and a retailer of new and used vehicles and related services. As of December 31, 2014, we offered 30 brands of new vehicles and all brands of used vehicles in 129 stores in the United States and online at Lithia.com and DCHauto.com. We sell new and used cars and replacement parts; provide vehicle maintenance, warranty, paint and repair services; arrange related financing; and sell service contracts, vehicle protection products and credit insurance.
	Our dealerships are located across the United States. We seek domestic, import and luxury franchises in cities ranging from mid-sized regional markets to metropolitan markets. We evaluate all brands for expansion opportunities provided the market is large enough to support adequate new vehicle sales to justify the required capital investment.
	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements reflect the results of operations, the financial position and the cash flows for Lithia Motors, Inc. and its directly and indirectly wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
	We early adopted the amendment to the accounting guidance related to discontinued operations in the third quarter of 2014. This amendment defines discontinued operations as a component or group of components that is disposed of or is classified as held for sale and represents a strategic shift that has, or will have, a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. As a result, we determined that individual stores which met the criteria for held for sale after our adoption date would no longer qualify for classification as discontinued operations. We had previously reclassified a held for sale store’s operations to discontinued operations in our Consolidated Statements of Operations, on a comparable basis for all periods presented, provided we did not expect to have any significant continuing involvement in the store’s operations after its disposal. See Note 15.
	Cash and Cash Equivalents
	Cash and cash equivalents are defined as cash on hand and cash in bank accounts without restrictions.
	Accounts Receivable
	Accounts receivable include amounts due from the following:
		●	various lenders for the financing of vehicles sold;
		●	customers for vehicles sold and service and parts sales;
		●	manufacturers for factory rebates, dealer incentives and warranty reimbursement; and
		●	insurance companies and other miscellaneous receivables.
	Receivables are recorded at invoice and do not bear interest until they are 60 days past due. The allowance for doubtful accounts is estimated based on our historical write-off experience and is reviewed monthly. Account balances are charged against the allowance after all appropriate means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. The annual activity for charges and subsequent recoveries is immaterial. See Note 2.
	Inventories
	Inventories are valued at the lower of market value or cost, using a pooled approach for vehicles and the specific identification method for parts. Certain acquired inventories are valued using the last-in first-out (LIFO) method. The LIFO reserve associated with this inventory as of December 31, 2014 was immaterial. The cost of new and used vehicle inventories includes the cost of any equipment added, reconditioning and transportation.
	Manufacturers reimburse us for holdbacks, floor plan interest assistance and advertising assistance, which are reflected as a reduction in the carrying value of each vehicle purchased. We recognize advertising assistance, floor plan interest assistance, holdbacks, cash incentives and other rebates received from manufacturers that are tied to specific vehicles as a reduction to cost of sales as the related vehicles are sold.
	Parts are valued at lower of market value or cost using a specific identification method. Parts purchase discounts that we receive from the manufacturer are reflected as a reduction in the carrying value of the parts purchased from the manufacturer and are recognized as a reduction to cost of goods sold as the related inventory is sold. See Note 3.
	Property and Equipment
	Property and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives on the straight-line basis. Leasehold improvements made at the inception of the lease or during the term of the lease are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the life of the improvement or the remaining term of the lease.
	The range of estimated useful lives is as follows:
				Years
	Buildings and improvements			May-40
	Service equipment			15-May
	Furniture, office equipment, signs and fixtures			10-Mar
	The cost for maintenance, repairs and minor renewals is expensed as incurred, while significant remodels and betterments are capitalized. In addition, interest on borrowings for major capital projects, significant remodels and betterments are capitalized. Capitalized interest becomes a part of the cost of the depreciable asset and is depreciated according to the estimated useful lives as previously stated. For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we recorded capitalized interest of $0.4 million, $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively.
	When an asset is retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any gain or loss is credited or charged to income from continuing operations.
	Leased property meeting certain criteria is capitalized and the present value of the related lease payments is recorded as a liability. Amortization of capitalized leased assets is computed on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, unless the lease transfers title or it contains a bargain purchase option, in which case, it is amortized over the asset’s useful life, and is included in depreciation expense.
	Long-lived assets held and used by us are reviewed for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may not be recoverable. We consider several factors when evaluating whether there are indications of potential impairment related to our long-lived assets, including store profitability, overall macroeconomic factors and the impact of our strategic management decisions. If recoverability testing is performed, we evaluate assets to be held and used by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to future net undiscounted cash flows associated with the asset, including its disposition. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets is recognized as a charge to income from continuing operations. See Note 4.
	Franchise Value
	We enter into agreements (“Franchise Agreements”) with the manufacturers. Franchise value represents a right received under Franchise Agreements with manufacturers and is identified on an individual store basis.
	We evaluated the useful lives of our Franchise Agreements based on the following factors:
		●	certain of our Franchise Agreements continue indefinitely by their terms;
		●	certain of our Franchise Agreements have limited terms, but are routinely renewed without substantial cost to us;
		●	other than franchise terminations related to the unprecedented reorganizations of Chrysler and General Motors, and allowed by bankruptcy law, we are not aware of manufacturers terminating Franchise Agreements against the wishes of the franchise owners in the ordinary course of business. A manufacturer may pressure a franchise owner to sell a franchise when the owner is in breach of the franchise agreement over an extended period of time;
		●	state dealership franchise laws typically limit the rights of the manufacturer to terminate or not renew a franchise;
		●	we are not aware of any legislation or other factors that would materially change the retail automotive franchise system; and
		●	as evidenced by our acquisition and disposition history, there is an active market for most automotive dealership franchises within the United States. We attribute value to the Franchise Agreements acquired with the dealerships we purchase based on the understanding and industry practice that the Franchise Agreements will be renewed indefinitely by the manufacturer.
	Accordingly, we have determined that our Franchise Agreements will continue to contribute to our cash flows indefinitely and, therefore, have indefinite lives.
	As an indefinite-lived intangible asset, franchise value is tested for impairment at least annually, and more frequently if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value may exceed fair value. The impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets requires the comparison of estimated fair value to carrying value. An impairment charge is recorded to the extent the fair value is less than the carrying value. We have the option to qualitatively or quantitatively assess indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. We evaluated our indefinite-lived intangible assets using a quantitative assessment process. We have determined the appropriate unit of accounting for testing franchise value for impairment is on an individual store basis.
	We test our franchise value for impairment on October 1 of each year. The quantitative assessment uses a multi-period excess earnings (“MPEE”) model to estimate the fair value of our franchises. We have determined that only certain cash flows of the store are directly attributable to franchise rights. Future cash flows are based on recently prepared operating forecasts and business plans to estimate the future economic benefits that the store will generate. Operating forecasts and cash flows include estimated revenue growth rates that are calculated based on management’s forecasted sales projections and on the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for historical consumer price index data. Additionally, we use a contributory asset charge to represent working capital, personal property and assembled workforce costs. A discount rate is utilized to convert the forecasted cash flows to their present value equivalent. The discount rate applied to the future cash flows factors an equity market risk premium, small stock risk premium, an average peer group beta and a risk-free interest rate. See Note 5.
	Goodwill
	Goodwill represents the excess purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired which is not allocable to separately identifiable intangible assets. Other identifiable intangible assets, such as franchise rights, are separately recognized if the intangible asset is obtained through contractual or other legal right or if the intangible asset can be sold, transferred, licensed or exchanged.
	Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment at least annually, and more frequently if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of the reporting unit more likely than not exceeds fair value. We have the option to qualitatively or quantitatively assess goodwill for impairment and in 2014 evaluated our goodwill using a quantitative assessment process. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the operating unit level. Our operating units are individual retail automotive stores as this is the level at which discrete financial information is available and for which operating results are regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker to allocate resources and assess performance.
	We test our goodwill for impairment on October 1 of each year. We used an Adjusted Present Value (“APV”) method, a fair-value based test, to indicate the fair value of our reporting units. Under the APV method, future cash flows based on recently prepared operating forecasts and business plans are used to estimate the future economic benefits generated by the reporting unit. Operating forecasts and cash flows include estimated revenue growth rates based on management’s forecasted sales projections and on U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for historical consumer price index data. A discount rate is utilized to convert the forecasted cash flows to their present value equivalent representing the indicated fair value of our reporting unit. The discount rate applied to the future cash flows factors an equity market risk premium, small stock risk premium, an average peer group beta and a risk-free interest rate. We compare the indicated fair value of our reporting unit to our market capitalization, including consideration of a control premium. The control premium represents the estimated amount an investor would pay to obtain a controlling interest. We believe this reconciliation is consistent with a market participant perspective.
	The quantitative impairment test of goodwill is a two-step process. The first step identifies potential impairment by comparing the estimated fair value of a reporting unit with its book value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying amount, goodwill is not impaired and the second step is not necessary. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value, the second step includes determining the implied fair value in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination is determined. The implied fair value of goodwill is then compared with the carrying amount of goodwill to determine if an impairment loss is necessary. See Note 5.
	Equity-Method Investments
	We own investments in certain partnerships which we account for under the equity method. These investments are included as a component of other non-current asstes in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We determined that we lack certain characteristics to direct the operations of the businesses and, as a result, do not qualify to consolidate these investments. Activity related to our equity-method investments is recognized in our Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows:
		●	the change in fair value is reflected as an asset impairment:
		●	our portion of the operating gains and losses is included as a component of other income, net;
		●	the amortization related to the discounted fair value of future equity contributions is amortized over the life of the investments as non-cash interest expense; and
		●	tax benefits and credits are reflected as a component of income tax provision.
	See Notes 12 and 18.
	Periodically whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may be impaired, we evaluate the equity investments for indications of loss resulting from an other than temporary decline. If the equity investment is determined to be impaired, the amount by which the investment basis exceeds the fair value of the investment is recognized as a charge to income from continuing operations. See Note 18.
	Advertising
	We expense production and other costs of advertising as incurred as a component of selling, general and administrative expense. Additionally, manufacturer cooperative advertising credits for qualifying, specifically-identified advertising expenditures are recognized as a reduction of advertising expense.
	Advertising expense, net of manufacturer cooperative advertising credits, was $46.7 million, $39.6 million and $31.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Manufacturer cooperative advertising credits were $16.3 million, $11.8 million and $9.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
	Contract Origination Costs
	Contract origination commissions paid to our employees directly related to the sale of our self-insured lifetime lube, oil and filter service contracts are deferred and charged to expense in proportion to the associated revenue to be recognized.
	Legal Costs
	We are a party to numerous legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business. We accrue for certain legal costs, including attorney fees and potential settlement claims related to various legal proceedings that are estimable and probable. See Note 7.
	Stock-Based Compensation
Compensation costs associated with equity instruments exchanged for employee and director services are measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award, with estimated forfeitures considered, and recognized as an expense on the straight-line basis over the individual’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity award). If there is a performance-based element to the award, the expense is recognized based on the estimated attainment level, estimated time to achieve the attainment level and/or the vesting period. See Note 10.
We estimate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes valuation model. This valuation model takes into account the exercise price of the award, as well as a variety of significant assumptions. We believe that the valuation technique and the approach utilized to develop the underlying assumptions are appropriate in calculating the fair values of our stock options. Estimates of fair value are not intended to predict actual future events or the value ultimately realized by persons who receive equity awards. The fair value of non-vested stock awards is based on the intrinsic value on the date of grant as if the stock award was vested.
Shares to be issued upon the exercise of stock options and the vesting of stock awards will come from newly issued shares.
Income and Other Taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance, if needed, reduces deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
When there are situations with uncertainty as to the timing of the deduction, the amount of the deduction, or the validity of the deduction, we adjust our financial statements to reflect only those tax positions that are more-likely-than-not to be sustained. Positions that meet this criterion are measured using the largest benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized. Interest and penalties are recorded as income tax provision in the period incurred or accrued when related to an uncertain tax position. See Note 13.
We account for all taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are directly imposed on a revenue-producing transaction (i.e., sales, use, value-added) on a net (excluded from revenues) basis.
Concentration of Risk and Uncertainties
We purchase substantially all of our new vehicles and inventory from various manufacturers at the prevailing prices charged by auto makers to all franchised dealers. Our overall sales could be impacted by the auto manufacturers’ inability or unwillingness to supply dealerships with an adequate supply of popular models.
We depend on our manufacturers to provide a supply of vehicles which supports expected sales levels. In the event that manufacturers are unable to supply the needed level of vehicles, our financial performance may be adversely impacted.
We depend on our manufacturers to deliver high-quality, defect-free vehicles. In the event that manufacturers experience future quality issues, our financial performance may be adversely impacted.
We are subject to a concentration of risk in the event of financial distress, including potential reorganization or bankruptcy, of a major vehicle manufacturer. Our sales volume could be materially adversely impacted by the manufacturers’ or distributors’ inability to supply the stores with an adequate supply of vehicles. We also receive incentives and rebates from our manufacturers, including cash allowances, financing programs, discounts, holdbacks and other incentives. These incentives are recorded as accounts receivable in our Consolidated Balance Sheets until payment is received. Our financial condition could be materially adversely impacted by the manufacturers’ or distributors’ inability to continue to offer these incentives and rebates at substantially similar terms, or to pay our outstanding receivables.
We enter into Franchise Agreements with the manufacturers. The Franchise Agreements generally limit the location of the dealership and provide the auto manufacturer approval rights over changes in dealership management and ownership. The auto manufacturers are also entitled to terminate the Franchise Agreement if the dealership is in material breach of the terms. Our ability to expand operations depends, in part, on obtaining consents of the manufacturers for the acquisition of additional dealerships. See also “Goodwill” and “Franchise Value” above.
We have a credit facility with a syndicate of 16 financial institutions, including seven manufacturer-affiliated finance companies. Several of these financial institutions also provide mortgage financing. This credit facility is the primary source of floor plan financing for our new vehicle inventory and also provides used vehicle financing and a revolving line of credit. The term of the facility extends through September 2019. At maturity, our financial condition could be materially adversely impacted if lenders are unable to provide credit that has typically been extended to us or with terms unacceptable to us. Our financial condition could be materially adversely impacted if these providers incur losses in the future or undergo funding limitations.
We anticipate continued organic growth and growth through acquisitions. This growth will require additional credit which may be unavailable or with terms unacceptable to us. If these events were to occur, we may not be able to borrow sufficient funds to facilitate our growth.
Financial Instruments, Fair Value and Market Risks
The carrying amounts of cash equivalents, accounts receivable, trade payables, accrued liabilities and short-term borrowings approximate fair value because of the short-term nature and current market rates of these instruments.
Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant market information about the financial instrument. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and, therefore, cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates. See Note 12.
We have variable rate floor plan notes payable, mortgages and other credit line borrowings that subject us to market risk exposure. At December 31, 2014, we had $1.6 billion outstanding in variable rate debt. These borrowings had interest rates ranging from 1.4% to 3.0% per annum. An increase or decrease in the interest rates would affect interest expense for the period accordingly.
The fair value of long-term, fixed interest rate debt is subject to interest rate risk. Generally, the fair value of fixed interest rate debt will increase as interest rates fall because we could refinance for a lower rate. Conversely, the fair value of fixed interest rate debt will decrease as interest rates rise. The interest rate changes affect the fair value, but do not impact earnings or cash flows. We monitor our fixed interest rate debt regularly, refinancing debt that is materially above market rates if permitted. See Note 12.
We are also subject to market risk from changing interest rates. From time to time, we reduce our exposure to this market risk by entering into interest rate swaps and designating the swaps as cash flow hedges. We are generally exposed to credit or repayment risk based on our relationship with the counterparty to the derivative financial instrument. We minimize the credit or repayment risk on our derivative instruments by entering into transactions with institutions whose credit rating is Aa or higher. See Note 11.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes to financial statements. Changes in such estimates may affect amounts reported in future periods.
Estimates are used in the calculation of certain reserves maintained for charge-backs on estimated cancellations of service contracts; life, accident and disability insurance policies; finance fees from customer financing contracts and uncollectible accounts receivable.
We also use estimates in the calculation of various expenses, accruals and reserves, including anticipated losses related to workers’ compensation insurance, anticipated losses related to self-insurance components of our property and casualty and medical insurance, self-insured lifetime lube, oil and filter service contracts, discretionary employee bonuses, warranties provided on certain products and services, legal reserves and stock-based compensation. We also make certain estimates regarding the assessment of the recoverability of long-lived assets, indefinite-lived intangible assets and deferred tax assets.
We offer a limited warranty on the sale of most retail used vehicles. This warranty is based on mileage and time. We also offer a mileage and time based warranty on parts used in our service repair work and on tire purchases. The cost that may be incurred for these warranties is estimated at the time the related revenue is recorded. A reserve for these warranty liabilities is estimated based on current sales levels, warranty experience rates and estimated costs per claim. The annual activity for reserve increases and claims are immaterial. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the accrued warranty balance was $0.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively.
Fair Value of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed
We estimate the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination using various assumptions. The most significant assumptions used relate to determining the fair value of property and equipment and intangible franchise rights.
We estimate the fair value of property and equipment based on a market valuation approach. We use prices and other relevant information generated primarily by recent market transactions involving similar or comparable assets, as well as our historical experience in divestitures, acquisitions and real estate transactions. Additionally, we may use a cost valuation approach to value long-lived assets when a market valuation approach is unavailable. Under this approach, we determine the cost to replace the service capacity of an asset, adjusted for physical and economic obsolescence. When available, we use valuation inputs from independent valuation experts, such as real estate appraisers and brokers, to corroborate our estimates of fair value.
We use an MPEE model to determine the fair value of intangible franchise rights as discussed above under “Franchise Value.”
We use a relief-from-royalty method to determine the fair value of a trade name. Future cost saving associated with owning, rather than licensing, a trade name is estimated based on a royalty rate and management’s forecasted sales projections. The discount rate applied to the future cost savings factors an equity market risk premium, small stock risk premium, an average peer group beta, a risk-free interest rate and a premium for forecast risk.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue from the sale of a vehicle is recognized when a contract is signed by the customer, financing has been arranged or collectability is reasonably assured and the delivery of the vehicle to the customer is made. We do not allow the return of new or used vehicles, except where mandated by state law.
Revenue from parts and service is recognized upon delivery of the parts or service to the customer. We allow for customer returns on sales of our parts inventory up to 30 days after the sale. Most parts returns generally occur within one to two weeks from the time of sale, and are not significant.
Finance fees earned for notes placed with financial institutions in connection with customer vehicle financing are recognized, net of estimated charge-backs, as finance and insurance revenue upon acceptance of the credit by the financial institution and recognition of the sale of the vehicle.
Insurance income from third party insurance companies for commissions earned on credit life, accident and disability insurance policies sold in connection with the sale of a vehicle are recognized, net of anticipated cancellations, as finance and insurance revenue upon execution of the insurance contract and recognition of the sale of the vehicle.
Commissions from third party service contracts are recognized, net of anticipated cancellations, as finance and insurance revenue upon sale of the contracts and recognition of the sale of the vehicle. We also participate in future underwriting profit, pursuant to retrospective commission arrangements, which is recognized in income as earned.
Revenue related to self-insured lifetime lube, oil and filter service contracts is deferred and recognized based on expected future claims for service. The expected future claims experience is evaluated periodically to ensure it remains appropriate given actual claims history.
Segment Reporting
While we have determined that each individual store is an operating segment, we have aggregated our operating segments into three reportable segments based on their economic similarities: Domestic, Import and Luxury.
Our Domestic segment is comprised of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured by Chrysler, General Motors and Ford. Our Import segment is comprised of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured primarily by Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan and Volkswagen. Our Luxury segment is comprised of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured primarily by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. The franchises in each segment also sell used vehicles, parts and automotive services, and automotive finance and insurance products.
Corporate and other is comprised of our stand-alone collision center; unallocated corporate overhead expenses, such as corporate personnel costs, certain interest expense and depreciation expense, and retrospective commissions for certain finance and insurance transactions that we arrange under agreements with third parties.
We define our chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) to be certain members of our executive management group. In the current year, we re-evaluated our approach for determining our operating segements. Historical and forecasted operational performance is evaluated on a store-by-store basis and on a consolidated basis by the CODM. We derive the operating results of the segments directly from our internal management reporting system. The accounting policies used to derive segment results are substantially the same as those used to determine our consolidated results. Management measures the performance of each operating segment based on several metrics, including earnings from operations. Management uses these results, in part, to evaluate the performance of, and to allocate resources to, each of the operating segments.

Note_2_Accounts_Receivable

Note 2 - Accounts Receivable	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Receivables [Abstract]
Loans, Notes, Trade and Other Receivables Disclosure [Text Block]	(2)           Accounts Receivable
	Accounts receivable consisted of the following (in thousands):
	December 31,		2014			2013
	Contracts in transit		$	162,785		$	85,272
	Trade receivables			37,194			23,154
	Vehicle receivables			34,876			23,606
	Manufacturer receivables			56,008			31,662
	Auto loan receivables			25,424			11,438
	Other receivables			4,554			5,622
				320,841			180,754
	Less: Allowances			(3,130	)		(546	)
	Less: Long-term portion of accounts receivable, net			(22,332	)		(9,689	)
	Total accounts receivable, net		$	295,379		$	170,519
	Accounts receivable classifications include the following:
		●	Contracts in transit are receivables from various lenders for the financing of vehicles that we have arranged on behalf of the customer and are typically received within five to ten days of selling a vehicle.
		●	Trade receivables are comprised of amounts due from customers, lenders for the commissions earned on financing and third parties for commissions earned on service contracts and insurance products.
		●	Vehicle receivables represent receivables for the portion of the vehicle sales price paid directly by the customer.
		●	Manufacturer receivables represent amounts due from manufacturers, including holdbacks, rebates, incentives and warranty claims.
		●	Auto loan receivables include amounts due from customers related to retail sales of vehicles and certain finance and insurance products.
	Interest income on auto loan receivables is recognized based on the contractual terms of each loan and is accrued until repayment, charge-off or repossession. Direct costs associated with loan originations are capitalized and expensed as an offset to interest income is recognized on the loans. All other receivables are recorded at invoice and do not bear interest until they are 60 days past due.
	The allowance for doubtful accounts is estimated based on our historical write-off experience and is reviewed monthly. Consideration is given to recent delinquency trends and recovery rates. Account balances are charged against the allowance after all appropriate means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. The annual activity for charges and subsequent recoveries is immaterial.
	The long-term portion of accounts receivable was included as a component of other non-current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Note_3_Inventories

Note 3 - Inventories	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventory Disclosure [Text Block]	(3)           Inventories
	The components of inventories consisted of the following (in thousands):
	December 31,	2014		2013
	New vehicles	$	958,876	$	657,043
	Used vehicles		240,908		167,814
	Parts and accessories		49,875		34,162
	Total inventories	$	1,249,659	$	859,019
	The new vehicle inventory cost is generally reduced by manufacturer holdbacks and incentives, while the related floor plan notes payable are reflective of the gross cost of the vehicle. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the carrying value of inventory had been reduced by $12.3 million and $6.0 million, respectively, for assistance received from manufacturers as discussed in Note 1.

Note_4_Property_and_Equipment

Note 4 - Property and Equipment	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure [Text Block]	(4)           Property and Equipment
	Property and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):
	December 31,	2014			2013
	Land	$	263,328		$	146,126
	Building and improvements		475,149			316,261
	Service equipment		60,644			42,980
	Furniture, office equipment, signs and fixtures		100,163			73,565
			899,284			578,932
	Less accumulated depreciation		(117,679	)		(106,871	)
			781,605			472,061
	Construction in progress		35,140			9,151
		$	816,745		$	481,212
	Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges
	In 2012, triggering events were determined to have occurred related to certain properties due to changes in the expected future use. As a result of these events, we tested certain long-lived assets for recovery. Based on these tests, we recorded an asset impairment charge of $0.1 million in 2012 in our Consolidated Statement of Operations. We did not record asset impairment charges associated with our long-lived assets in 2014 and 2013.

Note_5_Goodwill_and_Franchise_

Note 5 - Goodwill and Franchise Value	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]
Goodwill Disclosure [Text Block]	(5)           Goodwill and Franchise Value
	The following is a roll-forward of goodwill (in thousands):
			Domestic			Import		Luxury		Consolidated
	Balance as of December 31, 2012(1)		$	16,132		$	8,715	$	7,200	$	32,047
	Additions through acquisitions			6,416			8,082		2,966		17,464
	Balance as of December 31, 2013(1)			22,548			16,797		10,166		49,511
	Additions through acquisitions			68,463			62,804		18,597		149,864
	Balance as of December 31, 2014(1)		$	91,011		$	79,601	$	28,763	$	199,375
		-1	Net of accumulated impairment losses of $299.3 million recorded during the year ended December 31, 2008.
	The following is a roll-forward of franchise value (in thousands):
			Franchise Value
	Balance as of December 31, 2012		$	62,429
	Additions through acquisitions			8,770
	Balance as of December 31, 2013			71,199
	Additions through acquisitions			80,233
	Transfers to assets held for sale			(540	)
	Balance as of December 31, 2014		$	150,892

Note_6_Credit_Facilities_and_L

Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt Disclosure [Text Block]	(6)           Credit Facilities and Long-Term Debt
	Below is a summary of our outstanding balances on credit facilities and long-term debt (in thousands):
	December 31,		2014				2013
	New vehicle floor plan commitment (1) (2)		$	1,137,632			$	695,066
	Floor plan notes payable (2)			41,047				18,789
	Total floor plan debt			1,178,679				713,855
	Used vehicle inventory financing facility			134,000				85,000
	Revolving lines of credit			134,769				-
	Real estate mortgages			334,443				164,827
	Other debt			37,766				2,727
	Total debt		$	1,819,657			$	966,409
		-1	As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had a new vehicle floor plan commitment of $1.25 billion and $700 million, respectively, as part of our credit facility.
		-2	At December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had an additional $4.9 and $4.8 million of floor plan notes payable outstanding, respectively, on our new vehicle floor plan commitment recorded as liability related to assets held for sale. Additionally, at December 31, 2013, we had $1.5 million of floor plan notes payable on vehicles designated as service loaners recorded as liabilities related to assets held for sale.
	Credit Facility
	On October 1, 2014, we completed a $1.7 billion revolving syndicated credit facility. This syndicated credit facility is comprised of 16 financial institutions, including seven manufacturer-affiliated finance companies. Our credit facility provides for up to $1.25 billion in new vehicle inventory floor plan financing, up to $150 million in used vehicle inventory floor plan financing and a maximum of $300 million in revolving financing for general corporate purposes, including acquisitions and working capital. This credit facility may be expanded to $1.85 billion total availability, subject to lender approval.
	We may request a reallocation of any unused portion of our credit facility provided that the used vehicle inventory floor plan commitment does not exceed $250 million, the revolving financing commitment does not exceed $300 million, and the sum of those commitments plus the new vehicle inventory floor plan financing commitment does not exceed the total aggregate financing commitment. All borrowings from, and repayments to, our lending group are presented in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as financing activities.
	The new vehicle floor plan commitment is collateralized by our new vehicle inventory. Our used vehicle inventory financing facility is collateralized by our used vehicle inventory that has been in stock for less than 180 days. Our revolving line of credit is secured by our outstanding receivables related to vehicle sales, unencumbered vehicle inventory, other eligible receivables, parts and accessories and equipment.
	We have the ability to deposit up to $50 million in cash in Principal Reduction “PR” accounts associated with our new vehicle inventory floor plan commitment. The PR accounts are recognized as offsetting credits against outstanding amounts on our new vehicle floor plan commitment and would reduce interest expense associated with the outstanding principal balance. As of December 31, 2014, we did not have any amounts deposited in our PR accounts.
	If the outstanding principal balance on our new vehicle inventory floor plan commitment, plus requests on any day, exceeds 95% of the loan commitment, a portion of the revolving line of credit must be reserved. The reserve amount is equal to the lesser of $15.0 million or the maximum revolving line of credit commitment less the outstanding balance on the line less outstanding letters of credit. The reserve amount will decrease the revolving line of credit availability and may be used to repay the new vehicle floor plan commitment balance.
	The interest rate on the credit facility varies based on the type of debt, with the rate of one-month LIBOR plus 1.25% for new vehicle floor plan financing, one-month LIBOR plus 1.50% for used vehicle floor plan financing; and a variable interest rate on the revolving financing ranging from the one-month LIBOR plus 1.25% to 2.50%, depending on our leverage ratio. The annual interest rate associated with our new vehicle floor plan commitment, excluding the effects of our interest rate swaps, was 1.4% at December 31, 2014. The annual interest rate associated with our used vehicle inventory financing facility and our revolving line of credit was 1.7% and 2.2%, respectively, at December 31, 2014.
	Under the terms of our credit facility we are subject to financial covenants and restrictive covenants that limit or restrict our incurring additional indebtedness, making investments, selling or acquiring assets and granting security interests in our assets.
	Under our credit facility, we are required to maintain the ratios detailed in the following table:
	Debt Covenant Ratio		Requirement		As of December 31, 2014
	Current ratio		Not less than 1.20 to 1			1.16 to 1
	Fixed charge coverage ratio		Not less than 1.20 to 1			3.30 to 1
	Leverage ratio		Not more than 5.00 to 1			2.21 to 1
	Funded debt restriction (millions)		Not to exceed $600		$374.00
	As of December 31, 2014, we were not in compliance with the current ratio covenant as required under our credit facility. In February 2015, we requested and received a waiver from our lender group for the covenant as of December 31, 2014, and amended the agreement to reduce the covenant to 1.10 to 1 for the first quarter of 2015 and beyond. We expect to remain in compliance with the financial and restrictive covenants in our credit facility and other debt agreements. However, no assurances can be provided that we will continue to remain in compliance with the financial and restrictive covenants.
	If we do not meet the financial and restrictive covenants and are unable to remediate or cure the condition or obtain a waiver from our lenders, a breach would give rise to remedies under the agreement, the most severe of which is the termination of the agreement and acceleration of the amounts owed. A breach would also trigger cross-defaults under other debt agreements.
	Floor Plan Notes Payable
	We have floor plan agreements with manufacturer-affiliated finance companies for vehicles that are designated for use as service loaners. The interest rates on these floor plan notes payable commitments vary by manufacturer and are variable rates. At December 31, 2014, $41.0 million was outstanding on these agreements at interest rates rangng from 2.4% to 3.0%. Borrowings from, and repayments to, manufacturer-affiliated finance companies are classified as operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
	Real Estate Mortgages and Other Debt
	We have mortgages associated with our owned real estate. Interest rates related to this debt ranged from 1.7% to 5.0% at December 31, 2014. The mortgages are payable in various installments through October 2034. As of December 31, 2014, we had fixed interest rates on 66% of our outstanding mortgage debt.
	Our other debt includes capital leases, sellers’ notes and our equity contribution obligations associated with the new markets tax credit equity investment. The interest rates associated with our other debt ranged from 2.0% to 9.4% at December 31, 2014. This debt, which totaled $37.8 million at December 31, 2014, is due in various installments through May 2019.
	Future Principal Payments
	The schedule of future principal payments on long-term debt as of December 31, 2014 was as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ending December 31,
	2015		$	31,912
	2016			70,620
	2017			11,691
	2018			30,083
	2019			308,636
	Thereafter			188,036
	Total principal payments		$	640,978

Note_7_Commitments_and_Conting

Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]	(7)           Commitments and Contingencies
	Leases
	We lease certain facilities under non-cancelable operating and capital leases. These leases expire at various dates through 2066. Certain lease commitments contain fixed payment increases at predetermined intervals over the life of the lease, while other lease commitments are subject to escalation clauses of an amount equal to the increase in the cost of living based on the “Consumer Price Index - U.S. Cities Average - All Items for all Urban Consumers” published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or a substantially equivalent regional index. Lease expense related to operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease.
	The minimum lease payments under our operating and capital leases after December 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ending December 31,
	2015	$	24,623
	2016		23,486
	2017		21,310
	2018		19,108
	2019		19,231
	Thereafter		91,145
	Total minimum lease payments		198,903
	Less: sublease rentals		(10,715	)
		$	188,188
	Rent expense, net of sublease income, for all operating leases was $17.2 million, $14.0 million and $15.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. These amounts are included as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
	In connection with dispositions of dealerships, we occasionally assign or sublet our interests in any real property leases associated with such dealerships to the purchaser. We often retain responsibility for the performance of certain obligations under such leases to the extent that the assignee or sublessee does not perform. Additionally, we may remain subject to the terms of any guarantees and have correlating indemnification rights against the assignee or sublessee in the event of non-performance, as well as certain other defenses. We may also be called upon to perform other obligations under these leases, such as environmental remediation of the premises or repairs upon termination of the lease. We currently have no reason to believe that we will be called upon to perform any such services; however, there can be no assurance that any future performance required by us under these leases will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
	Certain of our facilities where a lease obligation still exists have been vacated for business reasons. In these instances, we make efforts to find qualified tenants to sublease the facilities and assume financial responsibility. However, due to the specific nature and size of our dealership facilities, tenants are not always available or the amount tenants are willing to pay does not recover the full lease obligation. When an exposure exists related to vacating certain leases, liabilities are accrued to reflect our estimate of future lease obligations, net of estimated sublease income.
	Capital Expenditures
	Capital expenditures were $86.0 million, $50.0 million and $64.6 million for 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Capital expenditures in 2014 were associated with image improvements, purchases of store facilities, purchases of previously leased facilities and replacement of equipment.
	Many manufacturers provide assistance in the form of additional vehicle incentives if facilities meet image standards and requirements. We believe it is an attractive time to invest in facility upgrades and remodels that will generate additional manufacturer incentive payments. Also, tax laws allowing accelerated deductions for capital expenditures reduce the overall investment needed and encourage accelerated project timelines.
	If we undertake a significant capital commitment in the future, we expect to pay for the commitment out of existing cash balances, construction financing and borrowings on our credit facility. Upon completion of the projects, we believe we would have the ability to secure long-term financing and general borrowings from third party lenders for 70% to 90% of the amounts expended, although no assurances can be provided that these financings will be available to us in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us.
	Charge-Backs for Various Contracts
	We have recorded a liability of $26.8 million as of December 31, 2014 for our estimated contractual obligations related to potential charge-backs for vehicle service contracts, lifetime oil change contracts and other various insurance contracts that are terminated early by the customer. We estimate that the charge-backs will be paid out as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ending December 31,
	2015	$	15,232
	2016		7,576
	2017		2,907
	2018		828
	2019		197
	Thereafter		22
	Total	$	26,762
	Lifetime Lube, Oil and Filter Contracts
	We retain the obligation for lifetime lube, oil and filter service contracts sold to our customers and assumed the liability of certain existing lifetime lube, oil and filter contracts. These amounts are recorded as deferred revenues. At the time of sale, we defer the full sale price and recognize the revenue based on the rate we expect future costs to be incurred. As of December 31, 2014, we had a deferred revenue balance of $63.4 million associated with these contracts and estimate the deferred revenue will be recognized as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ending December 31,
	2015	$	13,065
	2016		10,191
	2017		8,119
	2018		6,730
	2019		5,610
	Thereafter		19,637
	Total	$	63,352
	The current portion of this deferred revenue balance is recorded as a component of accrued liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
	We periodically evaluate the estimated future costs of these assumed contracts and record a charge if future expected claim and cancellation costs exceed the deferred revenue to be recognized. As of December 31, 2014, we had a reserve balance of $3.4 million recorded as a component of accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The charges associated with this reserve were recognized in 2011 and earlier.
	Self-insurance Programs
	We self-insure a portion of our property and casualty insurance, vehicle open lot coverage, medical insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. Third-parties are engaged to assist in estimating the loss exposure related to the self-retained portion of the risk associated with these insurances. Additionally, we analyze our historical loss and claims experience to estimate the loss exposure associated with these programs. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had liabilities associated with these programs of $23.2 million and $12.0 million, respectively, recorded as a component of accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
	Litigation
	We are party to numerous legal proceedings arising in the normal course of our business. Although we do not anticipate that the resolution of legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business will have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows, we cannot predict this with certainty.

Note_8_Stockholders_Equity

Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]	(8)           Stockholders’ Equity
	Class A and Class B Common Stock
	The shares of Class A common stock are not convertible into any other series or class of our securities. Each share of Class B common stock, however, is freely convertible into one share of Class A common stock at the option of the holder of the Class B common stock. All shares of Class B common stock shall automatically convert to shares of Class A common stock (on a share-for-share basis, subject to adjustment) on the earliest record date for an annual meeting of our stockholders on which the number of shares of Class B common stock outstanding is less than 1% of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding. Shares of Class B common stock may not be transferred to third parties, except for transfers to certain family members and in other limited circumstances.
	Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record and holders of Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes for each share held of record. The Class A common stock and Class B common stock vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to shareholders.
	Repurchases of Class A Common Stock
	In August 2011, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to 2,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock and, on July 20, 2012, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 1,000,000 additional shares of our Class A common stock. Through December 31, 2014, we had purchased 1,499,776 shares under this program at an average price of $31.19 per share. As of December 31, 2014, 1,500,224 shares remained available for purchase pursuant to this program. These plans do not have an expiration date and we may continue to repurchase shares from time to time as conditions warrant.
	The following is a summary of our repurchases in the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012.
	Year Ended December 31,		2014			2013			2012
	Shares repurchased (1)			226,729			127,900			848,092
	Total purchase price (in thousands)		$	15,990		$	5,213		$	20,698
	Average purchase price per share		$	70.52		$	40.76		$	24.41
		-1	Includes only shares repurchased under repurchase plans. An additional 106,772, 59,721 and 80,687 shares were repurchased in association with tax withholdings on the exercise of stock options in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
	Dividends
	For the period January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2014, we declared and paid dividends on our Class A and Class B Common Stock as follows:
	Quarter declared		Dividend amount per Class A and Class B share			Total amount of dividend
						(in thousands)
	2012
	First quarter		$	0.07		$	1,815
	Second quarter			0.1			2,583
	Third quarter			0.1			2,545
	Fourth quarter(1)			0.2			5,123
	2013
	First quarter		$	-		$	-
	Second quarter			0.13			3,356
	Third quarter			0.13			3,363
	Fourth quarter			0.13			3,366
	2014
	First quarter		$	0.13		$	3,378
	Second quarter			0.16			4,179
	Third quarter			0.16			4,174
	Fourth quarter			0.16			4,198
		-1	In November 2012, we paid dividends of $2.5 million that had been declared in October 2012. An additional dividend payment of $2.6 million was declared and paid in December 2012 in lieu of the dividend typically declared and paid in March of the following year.
	Reclassification From Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
	The reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive loss was as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ended December 31,		2014			2013			2012			Affected Line Item
												in the Consolidated
												Statement of Operations
	Loss on cash flow hedges		$	(488	)	$	(740	)	$	(1,413	)	Floor plan interest expense
	Income tax benefits			187			283			541		Income tax provision
	Loss on cash flow hedges, net		$	(301	)	$	(457	)	$	(872	)
	See Note 11 for more details regarding our derivative contracts.

Note_9_401k_Profit_Sharing_Def

Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]	(9)           401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-Term Incentive Plans
	We have a defined contribution 401(k) plan and trust covering substantially all full-time employees. The annual contribution to the plan is at the discretion of our Board of Directors. Contributions of $3.2 million, $2.1 million and $1.9 million were recognized for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Employees may contribute to the plan if they meet certain eligibility requirements.
	We offer a deferred compensation and long-term incentive plan (the “LTIP”) to provide certain employees the ability to accumulate assets for retirement on a tax deferred basis. We may make discretionary contributions to the LTIP. Discretionary contributions vest between one and seven years based on the employee’s age and position. Additionally, a participant may defer a portion of his or her compensation and receive the deferred amount upon certain events, including termination or retirement.
	The following is a summary related to our LTIP:
	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Compensation expense (in millions)		1.9			1.4			1.2
	Total discretionary contribution (in millions)		2.4			2.1			1.9
	Guaranteed annual return		5.25	%		5.25	%		5.9	%
	As of December 31, 2014, the balance due to participants was $14.2 million and was included as a component of other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Note_10_Stock_Based_Compensati

Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]	(10)         Stock-Based Compensation
	2009 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
	The 2009 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2009 ESPP”) allows for the issuance of 1,500,000 shares of our Class A common stock. The 2009 ESPP is intended to qualify as an “Employee Stock Purchase Plan” under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
	Eligible employees are entitled to defer up to 10% of their base pay for the purchase of stock, up to $25,000 of fair market value of our Class A common stock annually. The purchase price is equal to 85% of the fair market value at the end of the purchase period. During 2014, a total of 64,817 shares were purchased under the 2009 ESPP at a weighted average price of $67.56 per share, which represented a weighted average discount from the fair market value of $11.92 per share. As of December 31, 2014, 539,471 shares remained available for purchase under the 2009 ESPP.
	Compensation expense related to our 2009 ESPP is calculated based on the 15% discount from the per share market price on the date of grant.
	2013 Stock Incentive Plan
	Our 2013 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, (the “2013 Plan”) allows for stock appreciation rights, qualified stock options and for the granting of up to a total of 3.8 million nonqualified stock options and shares of restricted stock to our officers, key employees, directors and consultants. Our plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and permits accelerated vesting of outstanding awards upon the occurrence of certain changes in control. As of December 31, 2014, 1,604,410 shares of Class A common stock were available for future grants. As of December 31, 2014, there were no stock appreciation rights, qualified stock options or shares of restricted stock outstanding.
	Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”)
	RSU grants vest over a period up to four years from the date of grant. RSU activity under our stock incentive plans was as follows:
		Non-vested			Weighted average
		stock units			grant date fair value
	Balance, December 31, 2013		677,358		$	25.1
	Granted		84,955			68.99
	Vested		(288,042	)		45.2
	Forfeited		(9,513	)		35.01
	Balance, December 31, 2014		464,758		$	36.33
	We granted 51,343 time-vesting RSUs to members of our Board of Directors and employees in 2014. Each grant entitles the holder to receive shares of our Class A common stock upon vesting. A quarter of the RSUs vest on each of the four anniversaries of the grant date for employees and vests quarterly for our Board of Directors, over their service period.
	Certain key employees were granted 33,612 performance and time-vesting RSUs in 2014. The maximum target level was attained and 100% of the shares were earned and will vest over the service period.
	Stock Options
	Stock options become exercisable over a period of up to five years from the date of grant with expiration dates up to ten years from the date of grant and at exercise prices of not less than market value, as determined by the Board of Directors. Beginning in 2004, the expiration date of options granted was reduced to six years.
	Option activity under our stock incentive plans was as follows:
		Shares subject			Weighted average		Aggregate intrinsic value (millions)		Weighted average
		to options			exercise price				remaining contractual term (years)
	Balance, December 31, 2013		58,884		$	6.53	$	3.7		0.7
	Granted		-
	Forfeited		-
	Expired		-
	Exercised		(52,050	)		6.5
	Balance, December 31, 2014		6,834		$	6.79	$	0.5		0.8
	Exercisable, December 31, 2014		6,834		$	6.79	$	0.5		0.8
	Stock-Based Compensation
	As of December 31, 2014, unrecognized stock-based compensation related to outstanding, but unvested stock options and RSUs was $7.9 million, which will be recognized over the remaining weighted average vesting period of 1.5 years.
	Certain information regarding our stock-based compensation was as follows:
	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013		2012
	Per share intrinsic value of non-vested stock granted	$	68.99		$	43.13	$	23.82
	Weighted average per share discount for compensation expense recognized under the 2009 ESPP		11.92			8.81		4.29
	Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised (millions)		3.1			8.7		7.2
	Fair value of non-vested stock that vested during the period (millions)		18.9			8.4		3.5
	Stock-based compensation recognized in results of operations, as a component of selling, general and administrative expense - excludes compensation expense related to an option granted to one of our executives. (millions)		7.4			6.6		3.1
	Tax benefit recognized in Consolidated Statements of Operations (millions)		2.6			2.3		1
	Cash received from options exercised and shares purchased under all share-based arrangements (millions)		4.9			5.2		8.8
	Tax deduction realized related to stock options exercised (millions)		8.4			6.5		4.1

Note_11_Derivative_Financial_I

Note 11 - Derivative Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

(11)         Derivative Financial Instruments

From time to time, we enter into interest rate swaps to fix a portion of our interest expense. We do not enter into derivative instruments for any purpose other than to manage interest rate exposure to fluctuations in the one-month LIBOR benchmark. That is, we do not engage in interest rate speculation using derivative instruments.

As of December 31, 2014, we had a $25 million interest rate swap outstanding with U.S. Bank Dealer Commercial Services. This interest rate swap matures on June 15, 2016 and has a fixed rate of 5.587% per annum. The variable rate on the interest rate swap is the one-month LIBOR rate. At December 31, 2014, the one-month LIBOR rate was 0.17% per annum, as reported in the Wall Street Journal.

Typically, we designate all interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges and, accordingly, we record the change in fair value for the effective portion of these interest rate swaps in comprehensive income rather than net income until the underlying hedged transaction affects net income. If a swap is no longer designated as a cash flow hedge and the forecasted transaction remains probable or reasonably possible of occurring, the gain or loss recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss is recognized in income as the forecasted transaction occurs. If the forecasted transaction is probable of not occurring, the gain or loss recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss is recognized in income immediately. See Note 12.

The estimated amount that we expect to reclassify from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net income within the next twelve months is $1.1 million at December 31, 2014.

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the fair value of our derivative instruments was included in our Consolidated Balance Sheets as follows (in thousands):

Balance Sheet Information

Fair Value of Liability Derivatives

Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments

Location in Balance Sheet

31-Dec-14

Interest Rate Swap Contract

Accrued liabilities

$

1,194

Other long-term liabilities

556

$

1,750

Balance Sheet Information

Fair Value of Liability Derivatives

Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments

Location in Balance Sheet

31-Dec-13

Interest Rate Swap Contract

Accrued liabilities

$

1,215

Other long-term liabilities

1,685

$

2,900

The effect of derivative instruments in our Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was as follows (in thousands):

Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships

Amount of gain recognized in Accumulated OCI (effective portion)

Location of loss reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income (effective portion)

Amount of loss reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income (effective portion)

Location of loss recognized in Income on derivative (ineffective portion and amount excluded from effectiveness testing)

Amount of loss recognized in Income on derivative (ineffective portion and amount excluded from effectiveness testing)

For the Year Ended December 31, 2014

Floor plan

Floor plan

Interest rate swap contract

$

505

Interest expense

$

(488

)

Interest expense

$

(732

)

For the Year Ended December 31, 2013

Floor plan

Floor plan

Interest rate swap contracts

$

1,005

Interest expense

$

(740

)

Interest expense

$

(1,235

)

For the Year Ended December 31, 2012

Floor plan

Floor plan

Interest rate swap contracts

$

1,655

Interest expense

$

(1,413

)

Interest expense

$

(2,900

)

Note_12_Fair_Value_Measurement

Note 12 - Fair Value Measurements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block]	(12)         Fair Value Measurements
	Factors used in determining the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities are summarized into three broad categories:
		●	Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical securities;
		●	Level 2 – other significant observable inputs, including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment spreads, credit risk; and
		●	Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs, including our own assumptions in determining fair value.
	The inputs or methodology used for valuing financial assets and liabilities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in them.
	We use the income approach to determine the fair value of our interest rate swap using observable Level 2 market expectations at each measurement date and an income approach to convert estimated future cash flows to a single present value amount (discounted) assuming that participants are motivated, but not compelled, to transact. Level 2 inputs for the swap valuation are limited to quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets (specifically futures contracts on LIBOR for the first two years) and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (specifically LIBOR cash and swap rates and credit risk at commonly quoted intervals). Mid-market pricing is used as a practical expedient for fair value measurements. Key inputs, including the cash rates for very short term borrowings, futures rates for up to two years and LIBOR swap rates beyond the derivative maturity, are used to predict future reset rates to discount those future cash flows to present value at the measurement date.
	Inputs are collected from Bloomberg on the last market day of the period. The same methodology is used to determine the rate used to discount the future cash flows. The valuation of the interest rate swap also takes into consideration our own, as well as the counterparty’s, risk of non-performance under the contract.
	We estimate the value of our equity-method investment that is recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis based on a market valuation approach. We use prices and other relevant information generated primarily by recent market transactions involving similar or comparable assets. As these valuations contain unobservable inputs, we classified the measurement of fair value of our equity-method investment as Level 3.
	There were no changes to our valuation techniques during the year ended December 31, 2014.
	Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value
	Following are the disclosures related to our assets and (liabilities) that are measured at fair value (in thousands):
	Fair Value at December 31, 2014		Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	Measured on a recurring basis:
	Derivative contract, net		$	-	$	(1,750	)	$	-
	Measured on a non-recurring basis:
	Equity-method investment		$	-	$	-		$	33,282
	Fair Value at December 31, 2013		Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	Measured on a recurring basis:
	Derivative contract, net		$	-	$	(2,900	)	$	-
	We did not have any assets measured at fair value on a recurring or non-recurring basis at December 31, 2013.
	Based on operating losses recognized by the equity-method investment, we determined that an impairment of our investment had occurred. Accordingly, we performed a fair value calculation for this investment and determined that a $1.9 million impairment was required to be recorded as asset impairments in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note 18.
	See Note 11 for more details regarding our derivative contracts.
	Fair Value Disclosures for Financial Assets and Liabilities
	We have fixed rate debt and calculate the estimated fair value of our fixed rate debt using a discounted cash flow methodology. Using estimated current interest rates based on a similar risk profile and duration (Level 2), the fixed cash flows are discounted and summed to compute the fair value of the debt. As of December 31, 2014, this debt had maturity dates between November 2016 and October 2034. A summary of the aggregate carrying values and fair values of our long-term fixed interest rate debt is as follows (in thousands):
	December 31,		2014		2013
	Carrying value		$	257,780	$	132,616
	Fair value			270,781		126,786
	We believe the carrying value of our variable rate debt approximates fair value.

Note_13_Income_Taxes

Note 13 - Income Taxes	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]	(13)         Income Taxes
	Income Tax Provision
	Income tax provision from continuing operations was as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Current:
	Federal	$	56,342		$	46,727		$	31,438
	State		7,944			5,539			3,626
			64,286			52,266			35,064
	Deferred:
	Federal		10,433			9,010			10,888
	State		236			(702	)		3,110
			10,669			8,308			13,998
	Total	$	74,955		$	60,574		$	49,062
	At December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had income taxes receivable of $5.6 million and $3.4 million, respectively, included as a component of other current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
	The reconciliation between amounts computed using the federal income tax rate of 35% and our income tax provision from continuing operations for 2014, 2013 and 2012 is shown in the following tabulation (in thousands):
	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Federal tax provision at statutory rate	$	73,673		$	58,026		$	44,723
	State taxes, net of federal income tax benefit		6,526			3,141			4,772
	Non-deductible expenses		3,188			1,010			618
	Permanent differences related to the employee stock purchase program		68			55			52
	Net change in valuation allowance		(4,121	)		(554	)		(1,200	)
	General business credits		(4,002	)		(440	)		-
	Other		(377	)		(664	)		97
	Income tax provision	$	74,955		$	60,574		$	49,062
	Deferred Taxes
	Individually significant components of the deferred tax assets and (liabilities) are presented below (in thousands):
	December 31,	2014			2013
	Deferred tax assets:
	Deferred revenue and cancellation reserves	$	31,539		$	22,356
	Allowances and accruals, including state tax carryforward amounts		28,553			17,561
	Interest on derivatives		678			1,113
	Credits and other		-			1,937
	Goodwill		2,668			10,331
	Capital loss carryforward		10,711			10,893
	Valuation allowance		(8,663	)		(11,087	)
	Total deferred tax assets		65,486			53,104
	Deferred tax liabilities:
	Inventories		(19,356	)		(6,722	)
	Goodwill		(21,320	)		-
	Property and equipment, principally due to differences in depreciation		(67,271	)		(32,563	)
	Prepaid expenses and other		(2,936	)		(2,015	)
	Total deferred tax liabilities		(110,883	)		(41,300	)
	Total	$	(45,397	)	$	11,804
	We consider whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. We consider the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities (including the impact of available carryback and carryforward periods), projected future taxable income and tax-planning strategies in making this assessment.
	As of December 31, 2014, we had an $8.7 million valuation allowance recorded associated with our deferred tax assets. The majority of this allowance is associated with capital losses from the sale of corporate entities in prior years. The valuation allowance decreased $2.4 million in the current year. Of this decrease, $4.1 million was primarily a result of our equity investment in a partnership with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation. See also Note 18. This decrease was offset by certain state net operating losses (“NOL”) acquired as part of the acquisition of DCH for which we determined it is more likely than not that the benefit from certain state NOL carryforwards will not be realized. In recognition of this risk, we recorded a valuation allowance of $1.7 million on the deferred tax assets relating to these state NOL carryforwards.
	As of the end of 2014, we evaluated the availability of projected capital gains and determined that it continues to be unlikely the remaining capital loss carryforward would be fully utilized. We will continue to evaluate if it is more likely than not that we will realize the benefits of these deductible differences. However, additional valuation allowance amounts could be recorded in the future if estimates of taxable income during the carryforward period are reduced.
	At December 31, 2014, we had a number of state tax carryforward amounts totaling approximately $2.0 million, tax affected, with expiration dates through 2034. We believe that it is more likely than not that the benefit from certain state NOL carryforwards will not be realized. In recognition of this risk, we have provided a valuation allowance of $1.6 million on the deferred tax assets relating to these state NOL carryforwards.
	Unrecognized Tax Benefits
	The following is a reconciliation of our unrecognized tax benefits (in thousands):
	Balance, December 31, 2013	$	-
	Acquired with acquisition		1,495
	Balance, December 31, 2014	$	1,495
	The unrecognized tax benefit recorded was acquired as part of the acquisition of DCH. We have recorded a tax indemnification asset related to the unrecognized tax benfit as we determined the amount would be recoverable from the seller. We do not expect a material change in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits in the next twelve months. Unrecognized tax benefit is included as a component of other long-term liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We did not have any activity during 2013 or 2012 related to unrecognized tax benefits.
	Open tax years at December 31, 2014 included the following:
	Federal		2011-2014
	14 states		2009-2014

Note_14_Acquisitions

Note 14 - Acquisitions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block]	(14)         Acquisitions
	In 2014, we completed the following acquisitions, which contributed revenues of $724.4 million and earnings of $9.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2014:
		●	On January 31, 2014, we acquired Island Honda in Kahului, Hawaii.
		●	On February 3, 2014, we acquired Stockton Volkswagen in Stockton, California.
		●	On March 5, 2014, we acquired Honolulu Buick GMC Cadillac and Honolulu Volkswagen in Honolulu, Hawaii.
		●	On April 1, 2014, we acquired Corpus Christi Ford in Corpus Christi, Texas.
		●	On June 11, 2014, we acquired Beaverton GMC Buick and Portland Cadillac in Portland, Oregon.
		●	On July 28, 2014, we acquired Bellingham GMC Buick in Bellingham, Washington.
		●	On October 1, 2014, we completed the purchase of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the capital stock of DCH, which includes 27 stores located in New York, New Jersey and California.
		●	On October 6, 2014, we acquired Harris Nissan in Clovis, California.
	We completed the following acquisitions in 2013:
		●	On June 10, 2013, we acquired OB Salem Auto Group, Inc. in Salem, Oregon, including BMW, Honda and Volkswagen franchises.
		●	On October 7, 2013, we acquired Stockton Nissan Kia in Stockton, California.
		●	On October 24, 2013, we acquired Fresno Lincoln Volvo in Fresno, California.
		●	On November 1, 2013, we acquired Howard’s Body Shop in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
		●	On November 4, 2013, we acquired Geweke Motors, Inc. a Toyota Scion store in Lodi, California.
		●	On December 2, 2013, we acquired Diablo Subaru in Walnut Creek, California.
	We completed the following acquisitions in 2012:
		●	On April 30, 2012, we acquired Bellingham Chevrolet and Cadillac in Bellingham, Washington.
		●	On June 12, 2012, we acquired Fairbanks GMC Buick in Fairbanks, Alaska.
		●	On August 27, 2012, we acquired Killeen Chevrolet in Killeen, Texas.
		●	On October 23, 2012, we acquired Bitterroot Toyota in Missoula, Montana.
	All acquisitions were accounted for as business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting. The results of operations of the acquired stores are included in our Consolidated Financial Statements from the date of acquisition.
	The following table summarizes the consideration paid in cash and equity securities for our acquisitions and the amount of identified assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date (in thousands):
	Consideration paid for year ended December 31,		DCH			All other acquisitions			Total			2013
									2014
	Cash paid, net of cash acquired		$	569,995		$	89,639		$	659,634		$	81,105
	Equity securities issued			19,736			-			19,736			-
			$	589,731		$	89,639		$	679,370		$	81,105
	Assets acquired and liabilities assumed for year ended December 31,		DCH			All other acquisitions			Total			2013
									2014
	Trade receivables, net		$	63,888		$	-		$	63,888		$	-
	Inventories			265,378			48,662			314,040			30,624
	Franchise value			72,856			7,377			80,233			8,770
	Property, plant and equipment			256,122			17,395			273,517			24,741
	Other assets			20,313			531			20,844			264
	Floor plan notes payable			(24,686	)		-			(24,686	)		-
	Debt and capital lease obligations			(52,532	)		(3,161	)		(55,693	)		(37	)
	Deferred taxes, net			(49,651	)		-			(49,651	)		-
	Other liabilities			(92,863	)		(123	)		(92,986	)		(721	)
				458,825			70,681			529,506			63,641
	Goodwill			130,906			18,958			149,864			17,464
			$	589,731		$	89,639		$	679,370		$	81,105
	We account for franchise value as an indefinite-lived intangible asset. We expect $70.2 million of the goodwill recognized to be deductible for tax purposes. In 2014, we recorded $1.9 million in acquisition expenses as a component of selling, general and administrative exenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. We did not have any material acquisition-related expenses in 2013 or 2012.
	The following unaudited pro forma summary presents consolidated information as if the 2014, and 2013 acquisitions had occurred on January 1 of the prior year (in thousands, except for per share amounts):
	Year Ended December 31,		2014			2013
	Revenue		$	7,153,497		$	6,488,280
	Income from continuing operations, net of tax			148,119			125,958
	Basic income per share from continuing operations, net of tax			5.67			4.88
	Diluted income per share from continuing operations, net of tax			5.61			4.81
	These amounts have been calculated by applying our accounting policies and estimates. The results of the acquired stores have been adjusted to reflect the following: depreciation on a straight-line basis over the expected lives for property, plant and equipment; accounting for inventory on a specific identification method; and recognition of interest expense for real estate financing related to stores where we purchased the facility. No nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the acquisitions are included in the reported pro forma revenues and earnings.

Note_15_Discontinued_Operation

Note 15 - Discontinued Operations	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block]	(15)         Discontinued Operations and Assets Held for Sale
	We classify an asset group as held for sale if the location has been sold, we have ceased operations at that location or the store meets the criteria required by U.S. generally accepted accounting standards as follows:
		●	our management team, possessing the necessary authority, commits to a plan to sell the store;
		●	the store is available for immediate sale in its present condition;
		●	an active program to locate buyers and other actions that are required to sell the store are initiated;
		●	a market for the store exists and we believe its sale is likely within one year;
		●	active marketing of the store commences at a price that is reasonable in relation to the estimated fair market value; and
		●	our management team believes it is unlikely changes will be made to the plan or the plan to dispose of the store will be withdrawn.
	In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standard update that amends the accounting guidance related to discontinued operations. This amendment defines discontinued operations as a component or group of components that is disposed of or is classified as held for sale and represents a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. We early adopted this guidance in the third quarter of 2014 and, as a result, determined that individual stores which met the criteria for held for sale after our adoption date would no longer qualify for classification as discontinued operations. We had previously reclassified a store’s operations to discontinued operations in our Consolidated Statements of Operations, on a comparable basis for all periods presented, provided we did not expect to have any significant continuing involvement in the store’s operations after its disposal.
	On May 1, 2014, we completed the sale of one store which had been classified as held for sale since October 2012. This store’s operations have been reclassified to discontinued operations in our Consolidated Statement of Operations, on a comparable basis for all periods presented.
	In September 2014, we determined two operating stores met the criteria to be classified as held for sale. One of the stores was under contract to sell and the other was being actively marketed for sale by us and third party brokers. These long-lived assets are a component of our Import segment.
	As of December 31, 2014, we have two stores classified as held for sale. Assets held for sale included the following (in thousands):
	December 31,		2014			2013
	Inventories		$	6,284		$	8,260
	Property, plant and equipment			1,739			1,194
	Intangible assets			540			2,072
			$	8,563		$	11,526
	Liabilities related to assets held for sale included the following (in thousands):
	December 31,		2014			2013
	Floor plan notes payable		$	4,892		$	6,271
	Actual floor plan interest expense for the store classified as discontinued operations is directly related to the store’s new vehicles. Interest expense related to our used vehicle inventory financing and revolving line of credit is allocated based on the working capital level of the store. Interest expense included as a component of discontinued operations was as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ended December 31,		2014			2013			2012
	Floor plan interest		$	32		$	117		$	217
	Other interest			8			21			69
	Total interest		$	40		$	138		$	286
	Certain financial information related to discontinued operations was as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ended December 31,		2014			2013			2012
	Revenue		$	12,569		$	38,978		$	82,150
	Pre-tax gain (loss) from discontinued operations		$	(467	)	$	1,310		$	2,186
	Net gain (loss) on disposal activities			5,744			-			(621	)
				5,277			1,310			1,565
	Income tax expense			(2,097	)		(524	)		(598	)
	Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense		$	3,180		$	786		$	967
	Goodwill and other intangible assets disposed of		$	211		$	-		$	169
	The net gain on disposal activities in 2014 included a $6.8 million gain related to the disposal of goodwill and other intangible assets.

Note_16_Related_Party_Transact

Note 16 - Related Party Transactions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]	(16)         Related Party Transactions
	Sale of Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW Stores
	On March 27, 2012, we completed the sale of an 80% interest in our Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW stores in Medford, Oregon to Dick Heimann, a director and our Vice Chairman. We received proceeds of $9.6 million, of which $2.9 million was received in cash and $6.7 million was received through the payoff of floor plan financing. The sale of the 80% interest in the stores resulted in a gain of $0.7 million and was recorded as a component of selling, general and administrative expense in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
	The Nissan and Volkswagen stores were purchased for the book value of the inventory as defined by the original terms of an option agreement provided to Mr. Heimann in 2009. The price of the intangible assets of $1.2 million was based on the fair value of the intangible assets related to the BMW store. We corroborated the fair value of the BMW store’s intangible assets with independent third party broker opinions and financial projections using a fair value income approach.
	When we sold the three stores, we entered into a shared service agreement with the stores. This agreement allows the stores to lease our employees, use the Lithia name, utilize accounting support functions and receive consulting services. The services provided and the costs of the services are structured the same as the shared services provide to our wholly owned stores.
	We retained a 20% interest in the stores as of the transaction date. We determined that we are not the primary beneficiary of the stores and the risk and rewards associated with our investment are based on ownership percentages. We determined we maintained significant influence over the operations. As a result, our 20% interest is accounted for under the equity method. We recorded the equity investment at fair value of $0.8 million as of the transaction date, which resulted in a gain of $0.2 million. The gain was recorded as a component of other income, net in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We determined the fair value of our equity investment based on independent third party broker opinions and financial projections using a fair value income approach.
	As of December 31, 2014, the carrying value of our equity investment was $1.2 million and was recorded as a component of other non-current assets in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
	Sale of Land
	In the fourth quarter of 2013, we completed the sale of land in Medford, Oregon to Dick Heimann for $4.2 million. Mr. Heimann intends to relocate the stores he purchased in 2012 to this location. We determined the fair value of the land based on a third party appraisal for the property. The sale resulted in a gain of $2.5 million, recorded as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Note_17_Net_Income_Per_Share_o

Note 17 - Net Income Per Share of Class A and Class B Common Stock	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share [Text Block]	(17)         Net Income Per Share of Class A and Class B Common Stock
	We compute net income per share of Class A and Class B common stock using the two-class method. Under this method, basic net income per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period excluding unvested common shares subject to repurchase or cancellation. Diluted net income per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and, if dilutive, potential common shares outstanding during the period. Potential common shares consist of the incremental common shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options and unvested restricted shares subject to repurchase or cancellation. The dilutive effect of outstanding stock options and other grants is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method. The computation of the diluted net income per share of Class A common stock assumes the conversion of Class B common stock, while the diluted net income per share of Class B common stock does not assume the conversion of those shares.
	Except with respect to voting and transfer rights, the rights of the holders of our Class A and Class B common stock are identical. Our Restated Articles of Incorporation require that the Class A and Class B common stock must share equally in any dividends, liquidation proceeds or other distribution with respect to our common stock and the Articles of Incorporation can only be amended by a vote of the stockholders. Additionally, Oregon law provides that amendments to our Articles of Incorporation, which would have the effect of adversely altering the rights, powers or preferences of a given class of stock, must be approved by the class of stock adversely affected by the proposed amendment. As a result, the undistributed earnings for each year are allocated based on the contractual participation rights of the Class A and Class B common shares as if the earnings for the year had been distributed. Because the liquidation and dividend rights are identical, the undistributed earnings are allocated on a proportionate basis.
	Following is a reconciliation of the income from continuing operations and weighted average shares used for our basic earnings per share (“EPS”) and diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands, except per share amounts):
	Year Ended December 31,	2014						2013						2012
	Basic EPS	Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B
	Numerator:
	Income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	122,246		$	13,294		$	94,532		$	10,682		$	69,069		$	10,326
	Distributed income applicable to common stockholders		(14,367	)		(1,562	)		(9,061	)		(1,024	)		(10,497	)		(1,569	)
	Basic undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	107,879		$	11,732		$	85,471		$	9,658		$	58,572		$	8,757
	Denominator:
	Weighted average number of shares out-standing used to calculate basic income per share		23,559			2,562			23,185			2,620			22,354			3,342
	Basic income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders	$	5.19		$	5.19		$	4.08		$	4.08		$	3.09		$	3.09
	Basic distributed income per share applicable to common stockholders		(0.61	)		(061	)		(0.39	)		(0.39	)		(0.47	)		(0.47	)
	Basic undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders	$	4.58		$	4.58		$	3.69		$	3.69		$	2.62		$	2.62
	Year Ended December 31,	2014						2013						2012
	Diluted EPS	Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B
	Numerator:
	Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	$	14,367		$	1,562		$	9,061		$	1,024		$	10,497		$	1,569
	Reallocation of distributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options		15			(15	)		15			(15	)		28			(28	)
	Reallocation of distributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A		1,547			-			1,009			-			1,541			-
	Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	$	15,929		$	1,547		$	10,085		$	1,009		$	12,066		$	1,541
	Undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	107,879		$	11,732		$	85,471		$	9,658		$	58,572		$	8,757
	Reallocation of undistributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options		116			(116	)		142			(142	)		159			(159	)
	Reallocation of undistributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A		11,616			-			9,516			-			8,598			-
	Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	119,611		$	11,616		$	95,129		$	9,516		$	67,329		$	8,598
	Denominator:
	Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate basic income per share		23,559			2,562			23,185			2,620			22,354			3,342
	Weighted average number of shares from stock options		261			-			386			-			474			-
	Conversion of Class B to Class A		2,562			-			2,620			-			3,342			-
	Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate diluted income per share		26,382			2,562			26,191			2,620			26,170			3,342
	Year Ended December 31,	2014						2013						2012
	Diluted EPS	Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B
	Diluted income from continuing operations per share available to common stockholders	$	5.14		$	5.14		$	4.02		$	4.02		$	3.03		$	3.03
	Diluted distributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders		(0.61	)		(0.61	)		(0.39	)		(0.39	)		(0.47	)		(0.47	)
	Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders	$	4.53		$	4.53		$	3.63		$	3.63		$	2.56		$	2.56
	Antidilutive Securities:
	Shares issuable pursuant to stock options not included since they were antidilutive		13			-			16			-			45			-

Note_18_EquityMethod_Investmen

Note 18 - Equity-Method Investment	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures Disclosure [Text Block]	(18)         Equity-Method Investment
	In October 2014, we acquired a 99.9% membership interest related to a partnership with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation. This investment generates new markets tax credits under the New Markets Tax Credit Program (“NMTC Program”). The NMTC Program was established by Congress in 2000 to spur new or increased investments into operating businesses and real estate projects located in low-income communities. While U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation exercises management control over the partnership, due to the economic interest we hold in the entity, we determined the appropriate accounting for our ownership portion of the partnership was under the equity method. The transaction obligates us to make $37.1 million of equity contributions to the entity over a two-year period ending October 2016, $4.1 million of which had been contributed as of December 31, 2014.
	As of December 31, 2014, the carrying value of this equity-method investment was $33.3 million and was recorded as a component of other non-current assets in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The present value of our obligation associated with future equity contributions of $32.2 million was recorded as a component of accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
	The following amounts related to this equity-method investment were recorded in our Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands):
	Year Ended December 31,	2014
	Asset impairments to write investment down to fair value	$	1,853
	Our portion of the partnership’s operating losses		1,160
	Non-cash interest expense related to the amortization of the discounted fair value of future equity contributions		152
	Tax benefits and credits generated		6,506

Note_19_Segments

Note 19 - Segments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]	(19)         Segments
	Certain financial information on a segment basis is as follows (in thousands):
	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Revenues:
	Domestic	$	2,569,904		$	2,147,417		$	1,832,040
	Import		1,889,166			1,223,861			976,706
	Luxury		926,804			629,521			498,429
			5,385,874			4,000,799			3,307,175
	Corporate and other		4,452			4,950			9,312
		$	5,390,326		$	4,005,749		$	3,316,487
	Segment income*:
	Domestic	$	96,358		$	84,352		$	69,234
	Import		49,940			40,390			30,776
	Luxury		24,540			16,128			11,273
			170,838			140,870			111,283
	Corporate and other		39,657			24,918			17,174
	Income from continuing operations before income taxes	$	210,495		$	165,788		$	128,457
	*Segment income is defined as operating income less floor plan interest expense.
	Floor plan interest expense:
	Domestic	$	17,895		$	15,254		$	12,334
	Import		9,396			6,444			3,521
	Luxury		5,098			3,931			2,483
			32,389			25,629			18,338
	Corporate and other		(18,528	)		(13,256	)		(5,522	)
		$	13,861		$	12,373		$	12,816
	December 31,	2014			2013
	Total assets:
	Domestic	$	831,574		$	648,426
	Import		696,162			308,591
	Luxury		405,222			218,557
	Corporate and other		947,974			549,547
		$	2,880,932		$	1,725,121

Note_20_Recent_Accounting_Pron

Note 20 - Recent Accounting Pronouncements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]
Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]	(20)         Recent Accounting Pronouncements
	In May 2014, the FASB issued accounting standards update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which amends the accounting guidance related to revenues. This amendment will replace most of the existing revenue recognition guidance when it becomes effective. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is not permitted. The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. We are evaluating the effect this amendment will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures and believe the financial impact will not differ significantly from our current revenue recognition practices. We have not yet selected a transition method nor have we determined the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting.
	In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-12, “Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718).” ASU 2014-12 addresses accounting for share-based payments when the terms of an award provide that a performance target could be achieved after the requisite service period. ASU 2014-12 indicates that, in such situations, the performance target should be treated as a performance condition and, accordingly, the performance target should not be reflected in estimating the grant-date fair value of the award. Instead, compensation cost should be recognized in the period in which it becomes probable that the performance target will be achieved. ASU 2014-12 is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2014-12 to have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
	In November 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-16, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815).” ASU 2014-16 addresses whether the host contract in a hybrid financial instrument issued in the form of a share should be accounted for as debt or equity. ASU 2014-16 is effective for annual periods and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015. We do not currently have issued, nor are we investors in, hybrid financial instruments. Accordingly, we do not expect the adoption of ASU 2014-16 to have any effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Note_21_Subsequent_Events

Note 21 - Subsequent Events	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	(21)         Subsequent Event
	Common Stock Dividend
	On February 23, 2015, our Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.16 per share on our Class A and Class B common stock related to our fourth quarter 2014 financial results. The dividend will total approximately $4.2 million and will be paid on March 27, 2015 to shareholders of record on March 13, 2014.

Accounting_Policies_by_Policy_

Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements reflect the results of operations, the financial position and the cash flows for Lithia Motors, Inc. and its directly and indirectly wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
	We early adopted the amendment to the accounting guidance related to discontinued operations in the third quarter of 2014. This amendment defines discontinued operations as a component or group of components that is disposed of or is classified as held for sale and represents a strategic shift that has, or will have, a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. As a result, we determined that individual stores which met the criteria for held for sale after our adoption date would no longer qualify for classification as discontinued operations. We had previously reclassified a held for sale store’s operations to discontinued operations in our Consolidated Statements of Operations, on a comparable basis for all periods presented, provided we did not expect to have any significant continuing involvement in the store’s operations after its disposal. See Note 15.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cash and Cash Equivalents
	Cash and cash equivalents are defined as cash on hand and cash in bank accounts without restrictions.
Receivables, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Accounts Receivable
	Accounts receivable include amounts due from the following:
		●	various lenders for the financing of vehicles sold;
		●	customers for vehicles sold and service and parts sales;
		●	manufacturers for factory rebates, dealer incentives and warranty reimbursement; and
		●	insurance companies and other miscellaneous receivables.
	Receivables are recorded at invoice and do not bear interest until they are 60 days past due. The allowance for doubtful accounts is estimated based on our historical write-off experience and is reviewed monthly. Account balances are charged against the allowance after all appropriate means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. The annual activity for charges and subsequent recoveries is immaterial. See Note 2.
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Inventories
	Inventories are valued at the lower of market value or cost, using a pooled approach for vehicles and the specific identification method for parts. Certain acquired inventories are valued using the last-in first-out (LIFO) method. The LIFO reserve associated with this inventory as of December 31, 2014 was immaterial. The cost of new and used vehicle inventories includes the cost of any equipment added, reconditioning and transportation.
	Manufacturers reimburse us for holdbacks, floor plan interest assistance and advertising assistance, which are reflected as a reduction in the carrying value of each vehicle purchased. We recognize advertising assistance, floor plan interest assistance, holdbacks, cash incentives and other rebates received from manufacturers that are tied to specific vehicles as a reduction to cost of sales as the related vehicles are sold.
	Parts are valued at lower of market value or cost using a specific identification method. Parts purchase discounts that we receive from the manufacturer are reflected as a reduction in the carrying value of the parts purchased from the manufacturer and are recognized as a reduction to cost of goods sold as the related inventory is sold. See Note 3.
Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Property and Equipment
	Property and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives on the straight-line basis. Leasehold improvements made at the inception of the lease or during the term of the lease are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the life of the improvement or the remaining term of the lease.
	The range of estimated useful lives is as follows:
				Years
	Buildings and improvements			May-40
	Service equipment			15-May
	Furniture, office equipment, signs and fixtures			10-Mar
	The cost for maintenance, repairs and minor renewals is expensed as incurred, while significant remodels and betterments are capitalized. In addition, interest on borrowings for major capital projects, significant remodels and betterments are capitalized. Capitalized interest becomes a part of the cost of the depreciable asset and is depreciated according to the estimated useful lives as previously stated. For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we recorded capitalized interest of $0.4 million, $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively.
	When an asset is retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any gain or loss is credited or charged to income from continuing operations.
	Leased property meeting certain criteria is capitalized and the present value of the related lease payments is recorded as a liability. Amortization of capitalized leased assets is computed on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, unless the lease transfers title or it contains a bargain purchase option, in which case, it is amortized over the asset’s useful life, and is included in depreciation expense.
	Long-lived assets held and used by us are reviewed for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may not be recoverable. We consider several factors when evaluating whether there are indications of potential impairment related to our long-lived assets, including store profitability, overall macroeconomic factors and the impact of our strategic management decisions. If recoverability testing is performed, we evaluate assets to be held and used by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to future net undiscounted cash flows associated with the asset, including its disposition. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets is recognized as a charge to income from continuing operations. See Note 4.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets, Indefinite-Lived, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Franchise Value
	We enter into agreements (“Franchise Agreements”) with the manufacturers. Franchise value represents a right received under Franchise Agreements with manufacturers and is identified on an individual store basis.
	We evaluated the useful lives of our Franchise Agreements based on the following factors:
		●	certain of our Franchise Agreements continue indefinitely by their terms;
		●	certain of our Franchise Agreements have limited terms, but are routinely renewed without substantial cost to us;
		●	other than franchise terminations related to the unprecedented reorganizations of Chrysler and General Motors, and allowed by bankruptcy law, we are not aware of manufacturers terminating Franchise Agreements against the wishes of the franchise owners in the ordinary course of business. A manufacturer may pressure a franchise owner to sell a franchise when the owner is in breach of the franchise agreement over an extended period of time;
		●	state dealership franchise laws typically limit the rights of the manufacturer to terminate or not renew a franchise;
		●	we are not aware of any legislation or other factors that would materially change the retail automotive franchise system; and
		●	as evidenced by our acquisition and disposition history, there is an active market for most automotive dealership franchises within the United States. We attribute value to the Franchise Agreements acquired with the dealerships we purchase based on the understanding and industry practice that the Franchise Agreements will be renewed indefinitely by the manufacturer.
	Accordingly, we have determined that our Franchise Agreements will continue to contribute to our cash flows indefinitely and, therefore, have indefinite lives.
	As an indefinite-lived intangible asset, franchise value is tested for impairment at least annually, and more frequently if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value may exceed fair value. The impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets requires the comparison of estimated fair value to carrying value. An impairment charge is recorded to the extent the fair value is less than the carrying value. We have the option to qualitatively or quantitatively assess indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. We evaluated our indefinite-lived intangible assets using a quantitative assessment process. We have determined the appropriate unit of accounting for testing franchise value for impairment is on an individual store basis.
	We test our franchise value for impairment on October 1 of each year. The quantitative assessment uses a multi-period excess earnings (“MPEE”) model to estimate the fair value of our franchises. We have determined that only certain cash flows of the store are directly attributable to franchise rights. Future cash flows are based on recently prepared operating forecasts and business plans to estimate the future economic benefits that the store will generate. Operating forecasts and cash flows include estimated revenue growth rates that are calculated based on management’s forecasted sales projections and on the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for historical consumer price index data. Additionally, we use a contributory asset charge to represent working capital, personal property and assembled workforce costs. A discount rate is utilized to convert the forecasted cash flows to their present value equivalent. The discount rate applied to the future cash flows factors an equity market risk premium, small stock risk premium, an average peer group beta and a risk-free interest rate. See Note 5.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Goodwill
	Goodwill represents the excess purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired which is not allocable to separately identifiable intangible assets. Other identifiable intangible assets, such as franchise rights, are separately recognized if the intangible asset is obtained through contractual or other legal right or if the intangible asset can be sold, transferred, licensed or exchanged.
	Goodwill is not amortized but tested for impairment at least annually, and more frequently if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of the reporting unit more likely than not exceeds fair value. We have the option to qualitatively or quantitatively assess goodwill for impairment and in 2014 evaluated our goodwill using a quantitative assessment process. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the operating unit level. Our operating units are individual retail automotive stores as this is the level at which discrete financial information is available and for which operating results are regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker to allocate resources and assess performance.
	We test our goodwill for impairment on October 1 of each year. We used an Adjusted Present Value (“APV”) method, a fair-value based test, to indicate the fair value of our reporting units. Under the APV method, future cash flows based on recently prepared operating forecasts and business plans are used to estimate the future economic benefits generated by the reporting unit. Operating forecasts and cash flows include estimated revenue growth rates based on management’s forecasted sales projections and on U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for historical consumer price index data. A discount rate is utilized to convert the forecasted cash flows to their present value equivalent representing the indicated fair value of our reporting unit. The discount rate applied to the future cash flows factors an equity market risk premium, small stock risk premium, an average peer group beta and a risk-free interest rate. We compare the indicated fair value of our reporting unit to our market capitalization, including consideration of a control premium. The control premium represents the estimated amount an investor would pay to obtain a controlling interest. We believe this reconciliation is consistent with a market participant perspective.
	The quantitative impairment test of goodwill is a two-step process. The first step identifies potential impairment by comparing the estimated fair value of a reporting unit with its book value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying amount, goodwill is not impaired and the second step is not necessary. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value, the second step includes determining the implied fair value in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination is determined. The implied fair value of goodwill is then compared with the carrying amount of goodwill to determine if an impairment loss is necessary. See Note 5.
Equity Method Investments, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Equity-Method Investments
	We own investments in certain partnerships which we account for under the equity method. These investments are included as a component of other non-current asstes in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We determined that we lack certain characteristics to direct the operations of the businesses and, as a result, do not qualify to consolidate these investments. Activity related to our equity-method investments is recognized in our Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows:
		●	the change in fair value is reflected as an asset impairment:
		●	our portion of the operating gains and losses is included as a component of other income, net;
		●	the amortization related to the discounted fair value of future equity contributions is amortized over the life of the investments as non-cash interest expense; and
		●	tax benefits and credits are reflected as a component of income tax provision.
	See Notes 12 and 18.
	Periodically whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may be impaired, we evaluate the equity investments for indications of loss resulting from an other than temporary decline. If the equity investment is determined to be impaired, the amount by which the investment basis exceeds the fair value of the investment is recognized as a charge to income from continuing operations. See Note 18.
Advertising Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Advertising
	We expense production and other costs of advertising as incurred as a component of selling, general and administrative expense. Additionally, manufacturer cooperative advertising credits for qualifying, specifically-identified advertising expenditures are recognized as a reduction of advertising expense.
	Advertising expense, net of manufacturer cooperative advertising credits, was $46.7 million, $39.6 million and $31.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Manufacturer cooperative advertising credits were $16.3 million, $11.8 million and $9.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
Contract Origination Costs Policy [Policy Text Block]	Contract Origination Costs
	Contract origination commissions paid to our employees directly related to the sale of our self-insured lifetime lube, oil and filter service contracts are deferred and charged to expense in proportion to the associated revenue to be recognized.
Legal Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Legal Costs
	We are a party to numerous legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business. We accrue for certain legal costs, including attorney fees and potential settlement claims related to various legal proceedings that are estimable and probable. See Note 7.
Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]	Stock-Based Compensation
	Compensation costs associated with equity instruments exchanged for employee and director services are measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award, with estimated forfeitures considered, and recognized as an expense on the straight-line basis over the individual’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity award). If there is a performance-based element to the award, the expense is recognized based on the estimated attainment level, estimated time to achieve the attainment level and/or the vesting period. See Note 10.
	We estimate the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes valuation model. This valuation model takes into account the exercise price of the award, as well as a variety of significant assumptions. We believe that the valuation technique and the approach utilized to develop the underlying assumptions are appropriate in calculating the fair values of our stock options. Estimates of fair value are not intended to predict actual future events or the value ultimately realized by persons who receive equity awards. The fair value of non-vested stock awards is based on the intrinsic value on the date of grant as if the stock award was vested.
	Shares to be issued upon the exercise of stock options and the vesting of stock awards will come from newly issued shares.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income and Other Taxes
	Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance, if needed, reduces deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
	When there are situations with uncertainty as to the timing of the deduction, the amount of the deduction, or the validity of the deduction, we adjust our financial statements to reflect only those tax positions that are more-likely-than-not to be sustained. Positions that meet this criterion are measured using the largest benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized. Interest and penalties are recorded as income tax provision in the period incurred or accrued when related to an uncertain tax position. See Note 13.
	We account for all taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are directly imposed on a revenue-producing transaction (i.e., sales, use, value-added) on a net (excluded from revenues) basis.
Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Concentration of Risk and Uncertainties
	We purchase substantially all of our new vehicles and inventory from various manufacturers at the prevailing prices charged by auto makers to all franchised dealers. Our overall sales could be impacted by the auto manufacturers’ inability or unwillingness to supply dealerships with an adequate supply of popular models.
	We depend on our manufacturers to provide a supply of vehicles which supports expected sales levels. In the event that manufacturers are unable to supply the needed level of vehicles, our financial performance may be adversely impacted.
	We depend on our manufacturers to deliver high-quality, defect-free vehicles. In the event that manufacturers experience future quality issues, our financial performance may be adversely impacted.
	We are subject to a concentration of risk in the event of financial distress, including potential reorganization or bankruptcy, of a major vehicle manufacturer. Our sales volume could be materially adversely impacted by the manufacturers’ or distributors’ inability to supply the stores with an adequate supply of vehicles. We also receive incentives and rebates from our manufacturers, including cash allowances, financing programs, discounts, holdbacks and other incentives. These incentives are recorded as accounts receivable in our Consolidated Balance Sheets until payment is received. Our financial condition could be materially adversely impacted by the manufacturers’ or distributors’ inability to continue to offer these incentives and rebates at substantially similar terms, or to pay our outstanding receivables.
	We enter into Franchise Agreements with the manufacturers. The Franchise Agreements generally limit the location of the dealership and provide the auto manufacturer approval rights over changes in dealership management and ownership. The auto manufacturers are also entitled to terminate the Franchise Agreement if the dealership is in material breach of the terms. Our ability to expand operations depends, in part, on obtaining consents of the manufacturers for the acquisition of additional dealerships. See also “Goodwill” and “Franchise Value” above.
	We have a credit facility with a syndicate of 16 financial institutions, including seven manufacturer-affiliated finance companies. Several of these financial institutions also provide mortgage financing. This credit facility is the primary source of floor plan financing for our new vehicle inventory and also provides used vehicle financing and a revolving line of credit. The term of the facility extends through September 2019. At maturity, our financial condition could be materially adversely impacted if lenders are unable to provide credit that has typically been extended to us or with terms unacceptable to us. Our financial condition could be materially adversely impacted if these providers incur losses in the future or undergo funding limitations.
	We anticipate continued organic growth and growth through acquisitions. This growth will require additional credit which may be unavailable or with terms unacceptable to us. If these events were to occur, we may not be able to borrow sufficient funds to facilitate our growth.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Financial Instruments, Fair Value and Market Risks
	The carrying amounts of cash equivalents, accounts receivable, trade payables, accrued liabilities and short-term borrowings approximate fair value because of the short-term nature and current market rates of these instruments.
	Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant market information about the financial instrument. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and, therefore, cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates. See Note 12.
	We have variable rate floor plan notes payable, mortgages and other credit line borrowings that subject us to market risk exposure. At December 31, 2014, we had $1.6 billion outstanding in variable rate debt. These borrowings had interest rates ranging from 1.4% to 3.0% per annum. An increase or decrease in the interest rates would affect interest expense for the period accordingly.
	The fair value of long-term, fixed interest rate debt is subject to interest rate risk. Generally, the fair value of fixed interest rate debt will increase as interest rates fall because we could refinance for a lower rate. Conversely, the fair value of fixed interest rate debt will decrease as interest rates rise. The interest rate changes affect the fair value, but do not impact earnings or cash flows. We monitor our fixed interest rate debt regularly, refinancing debt that is materially above market rates if permitted. See Note 12.
	We are also subject to market risk from changing interest rates. From time to time, we reduce our exposure to this market risk by entering into interest rate swaps and designating the swaps as cash flow hedges. We are generally exposed to credit or repayment risk based on our relationship with the counterparty to the derivative financial instrument. We minimize the credit or repayment risk on our derivative instruments by entering into transactions with institutions whose credit rating is Aa or higher. See Note 11.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Use of Estimates
	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes to financial statements. Changes in such estimates may affect amounts reported in future periods.
	Estimates are used in the calculation of certain reserves maintained for charge-backs on estimated cancellations of service contracts; life, accident and disability insurance policies; finance fees from customer financing contracts and uncollectible accounts receivable.
	We also use estimates in the calculation of various expenses, accruals and reserves, including anticipated losses related to workers’ compensation insurance, anticipated losses related to self-insurance components of our property and casualty and medical insurance, self-insured lifetime lube, oil and filter service contracts, discretionary employee bonuses, warranties provided on certain products and services, legal reserves and stock-based compensation. We also make certain estimates regarding the assessment of the recoverability of long-lived assets, indefinite-lived intangible assets and deferred tax assets.
	We offer a limited warranty on the sale of most retail used vehicles. This warranty is based on mileage and time. We also offer a mileage and time based warranty on parts used in our service repair work and on tire purchases. The cost that may be incurred for these warranties is estimated at the time the related revenue is recorded. A reserve for these warranty liabilities is estimated based on current sales levels, warranty experience rates and estimated costs per claim. The annual activity for reserve increases and claims are immaterial. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the accrued warranty balance was $0.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively.
Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Fair Value of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed
	We estimate the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination using various assumptions. The most significant assumptions used relate to determining the fair value of property and equipment and intangible franchise rights.
	We estimate the fair value of property and equipment based on a market valuation approach. We use prices and other relevant information generated primarily by recent market transactions involving similar or comparable assets, as well as our historical experience in divestitures, acquisitions and real estate transactions. Additionally, we may use a cost valuation approach to value long-lived assets when a market valuation approach is unavailable. Under this approach, we determine the cost to replace the service capacity of an asset, adjusted for physical and economic obsolescence. When available, we use valuation inputs from independent valuation experts, such as real estate appraisers and brokers, to corroborate our estimates of fair value.
	We use an MPEE model to determine the fair value of intangible franchise rights as discussed above under “Franchise Value.”
	We use a relief-from-royalty method to determine the fair value of a trade name. Future cost saving associated with owning, rather than licensing, a trade name is estimated based on a royalty rate and management’s forecasted sales projections. The discount rate applied to the future cost savings factors an equity market risk premium, small stock risk premium, an average peer group beta, a risk-free interest rate and a premium for forecast risk.
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Revenue Recognition
	Revenue from the sale of a vehicle is recognized when a contract is signed by the customer, financing has been arranged or collectability is reasonably assured and the delivery of the vehicle to the customer is made. We do not allow the return of new or used vehicles, except where mandated by state law.
	Revenue from parts and service is recognized upon delivery of the parts or service to the customer. We allow for customer returns on sales of our parts inventory up to 30 days after the sale. Most parts returns generally occur within one to two weeks from the time of sale, and are not significant.
	Finance fees earned for notes placed with financial institutions in connection with customer vehicle financing are recognized, net of estimated charge-backs, as finance and insurance revenue upon acceptance of the credit by the financial institution and recognition of the sale of the vehicle.
	Insurance income from third party insurance companies for commissions earned on credit life, accident and disability insurance policies sold in connection with the sale of a vehicle are recognized, net of anticipated cancellations, as finance and insurance revenue upon execution of the insurance contract and recognition of the sale of the vehicle.
	Commissions from third party service contracts are recognized, net of anticipated cancellations, as finance and insurance revenue upon sale of the contracts and recognition of the sale of the vehicle. We also participate in future underwriting profit, pursuant to retrospective commission arrangements, which is recognized in income as earned.
	Revenue related to self-insured lifetime lube, oil and filter service contracts is deferred and recognized based on expected future claims for service. The expected future claims experience is evaluated periodically to ensure it remains appropriate given actual claims history.
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Segment Reporting
	While we have determined that each individual store is an operating segment, we have aggregated our operating segments into three reportable segments based on their economic similarities: Domestic, Import and Luxury.
	Our Domestic segment is comprised of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured by Chrysler, General Motors and Ford. Our Import segment is comprised of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured primarily by Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan and Volkswagen. Our Luxury segment is comprised of retail automotive franchises that sell new vehicles manufactured primarily by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. The franchises in each segment also sell used vehicles, parts and automotive services, and automotive finance and insurance products.
	Corporate and other is comprised of our stand-alone collision center; unallocated corporate overhead expenses, such as corporate personnel costs, certain interest expense and depreciation expense, and retrospective commissions for certain finance and insurance transactions that we arrange under agreements with third parties.
	We define our chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) to be certain members of our executive management group. In the current year, we re-evaluated our approach for determining our operating segements. Historical and forecasted operational performance is evaluated on a store-by-store basis and on a consolidated basis by the CODM. We derive the operating results of the segments directly from our internal management reporting system. The accounting policies used to derive segment results are substantially the same as those used to determine our consolidated results. Management measures the performance of each operating segment based on several metrics, including earnings from operations. Management uses these results, in part, to evaluate the performance of, and to allocate resources to, each of the operating segments.

Note_1_Summary_of_Significant_1

Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Property Plant And Equipment Estimated Useful Lives Table Text Block]		Years
	Buildings and improvements	May-40
	Service equipment	15-May
	Furniture, office equipment, signs and fixtures	10-Mar

Note_2_Accounts_Receivable_Tab

Note 2 - Accounts Receivable (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Receivables [Abstract]
Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014			2013
	Contracts in transit	$	162,785		$	85,272
	Trade receivables		37,194			23,154
	Vehicle receivables		34,876			23,606
	Manufacturer receivables		56,008			31,662
	Auto loan receivables		25,424			11,438
	Other receivables		4,554			5,622
			320,841			180,754
	Less: Allowances		(3,130	)		(546	)
	Less: Long-term portion of accounts receivable, net		(22,332	)		(9,689	)
	Total accounts receivable, net	$	295,379		$	170,519

Note_3_Inventories_Tables

Note 3 - Inventories (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014		2013
	New vehicles	$	958,876	$	657,043
	Used vehicles		240,908		167,814
	Parts and accessories		49,875		34,162
	Total inventories	$	1,249,659	$	859,019

Note_4_Property_and_Equipment_

Note 4 - Property and Equipment (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014			2013
	Land	$	263,328		$	146,126
	Building and improvements		475,149			316,261
	Service equipment		60,644			42,980
	Furniture, office equipment, signs and fixtures		100,163			73,565
			899,284			578,932
	Less accumulated depreciation		(117,679	)		(106,871	)
			781,605			472,061
	Construction in progress		35,140			9,151
		$	816,745		$	481,212

Note_5_Goodwill_and_Franchise_1

Note 5 - Goodwill and Franchise Value (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]
Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block]		Domestic			Import		Luxury		Consolidated
	Balance as of December 31, 2012(1)	$	16,132		$	8,715	$	7,200	$	32,047
	Additions through acquisitions		6,416			8,082		2,966		17,464
	Balance as of December 31, 2013(1)		22,548			16,797		10,166		49,511
	Additions through acquisitions		68,463			62,804		18,597		149,864
	Balance as of December 31, 2014(1)	$	91,011		$	79,601	$	28,763	$	199,375
Schedule of Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Table Text Block]		Franchise Value
	Balance as of December 31, 2012	$	62,429
	Additions through acquisitions		8,770
	Balance as of December 31, 2013		71,199
	Additions through acquisitions		80,233
	Transfers to assets held for sale		(540	)
	Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	150,892

Note_6_Credit_Facilities_and_L1

Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Debt [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014		2013
	New vehicle floor plan commitment (1) (2)	$	1,137,632	$	695,066
	Floor plan notes payable (2)		41,047		18,789
	Total floor plan debt		1,178,679		713,855
	Used vehicle inventory financing facility		134,000		85,000
	Revolving lines of credit		134,769		-
	Real estate mortgages		334,443		164,827
	Other debt		37,766		2,727
	Total debt	$	1,819,657	$	966,409
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt [Table Text Block]	Year Ending December 31,
	2015	$	31,912
	2016		70,620
	2017		11,691
	2018		30,083
	2019		308,636
	Thereafter		188,036
	Total principal payments	$	640,978

Note_7_Commitments_and_Conting1

Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Future Minimum Lease Payments [Table Text Block]	Year Ending December 31,
	2015	$	24,623
	2016		23,486
	2017		21,310
	2018		19,108
	2019		19,231
	Thereafter		91,145
	Total minimum lease payments		198,903
	Less: sublease rentals		(10,715	)
		$	188,188
Charge Backs Estimated Future Payments [Table Text Block]	Year Ending December 31,
	2015	$	15,232
	2016		7,576
	2017		2,907
	2018		828
	2019		197
	Thereafter		22
	Total	$	26,762
Schedule of Deferred Revenue Future Recognition [Table Text Block]	Year Ending December 31,
	2015	$	13,065
	2016		10,191
	2017		8,119
	2018		6,730
	2019		5,610
	Thereafter		19,637
	Total	$	63,352

Note_8_Stockholders_Equity_Tab

Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Class of Treasury Stock [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Shares repurchased (1)		226,729			127,900			848,092
	Total purchase price (in thousands)	$	15,990		$	5,213		$	20,698
	Average purchase price per share	$	70.52		$	40.76		$	24.41
Schedule of Dividends Payable [Table Text Block]	Quarter declared	Dividend amount per Class A and Class B share			Total amount of dividend
					(in thousands)
	2012
	First quarter	$	0.07		$	1,815
	Second quarter		0.1			2,583
	Third quarter		0.1			2,545
	Fourth quarter(1)		0.2			5,123
	2013
	First quarter	$	-		$	-
	Second quarter		0.13			3,356
	Third quarter		0.13			3,363
	Fourth quarter		0.13			3,366
	2014
	First quarter	$	0.13		$	3,378
	Second quarter		0.16			4,179
	Third quarter		0.16			4,174
	Fourth quarter		0.16			4,198
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012			Affected Line Item
											in the Consolidated
											Statement of Operations
	Loss on cash flow hedges	$	(488	)	$	(740	)	$	(1,413	)	Floor plan interest expense
	Income tax benefits		187			283			541		Income tax provision
	Loss on cash flow hedges, net	$	(301	)	$	(457	)	$	(872	)

Note_9_401k_Profit_Sharing_Def1

Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits by Title of Individual and Type of Deferred Compensation [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Compensation expense (in millions)		1.9			1.4			1.2
	Total discretionary contribution (in millions)		2.4			2.1			1.9
	Guaranteed annual return		5.25	%		5.25	%		5.9	%

Note_10_Stock_Based_Compensati1

Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]		Non-vested			Weighted average
		stock units			grant date fair value
	Balance, December 31, 2013		677,358		$	25.1
	Granted		84,955			68.99
	Vested		(288,042	)		45.2
	Forfeited		(9,513	)		35.01
	Balance, December 31, 2014		464,758		$	36.33
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]		Shares subject			Weighted average		Aggregate intrinsic value (millions)		Weighted average
		to options			exercise price				remaining contractual term (years)
	Balance, December 31, 2013		58,884		$	6.53	$	3.7		0.7
	Granted		-
	Forfeited		-
	Expired		-
	Exercised		(52,050	)		6.5
	Balance, December 31, 2014		6,834		$	6.79	$	0.5		0.8
	Exercisable, December 31, 2014		6,834		$	6.79	$	0.5		0.8
Disclosure of Share-based Compensation Arrangements by Share-based Payment Award [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013		2012
	Per share intrinsic value of non-vested stock granted	$	68.99		$	43.13	$	23.82
	Weighted average per share discount for compensation expense recognized under the 2009 ESPP		11.92			8.81		4.29
	Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised (millions)		3.1			8.7		7.2
	Fair value of non-vested stock that vested during the period (millions)		18.9			8.4		3.5
	Stock-based compensation recognized in results of operations, as a component of selling, general and administrative expense - excludes compensation expense related to an option granted to one of our executives. (millions)		7.4			6.6		3.1
	Tax benefit recognized in Consolidated Statements of Operations (millions)		2.6			2.3		1
	Cash received from options exercised and shares purchased under all share-based arrangements (millions)		4.9			5.2		8.8
	Tax deduction realized related to stock options exercised (millions)		8.4			6.5		4.1

Note_11_Derivative_Financial_I1

Note 11 - Derivative Financial Instruments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Derivative Instruments in Statement of Financial Position, Fair Value [Table Text Block]	Balance Sheet Information	Fair Value of Liability Derivatives
	Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments	Location in Balance Sheet		31-Dec-14
	Interest Rate Swap Contract	Accrued liabilities		$	1,194
		Other long-term liabilities			556
				$	1,750
	Balance Sheet Information	Fair Value of Liability Derivatives
	Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments	Location in Balance Sheet		31-Dec-13
	Interest Rate Swap Contract	Accrued liabilities		$	1,215
		Other long-term liabilities			1,685
				$	2,900
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Table Text Block]	Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships	Amount of gain recognized in Accumulated OCI (effective portion)			Location of loss reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income (effective portion)	Amount of loss reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income (effective portion)			Location of loss recognized in Income on derivative (ineffective portion and amount excluded from effectiveness testing)	Amount of loss recognized in Income on derivative (ineffective portion and amount excluded from effectiveness testing)
	For the Year Ended December 31, 2014				Floor plan				Floor plan
	Interest rate swap contract	$	505		Interest expense	$	(488	)	Interest expense	$	(732	)
	For the Year Ended December 31, 2013				Floor plan				Floor plan
	Interest rate swap contracts	$	1,005		Interest expense	$	(740	)	Interest expense	$	(1,235	)
	For the Year Ended December 31, 2012				Floor plan				Floor plan
	Interest rate swap contracts	$	1,655		Interest expense	$	(1,413	)	Interest expense	$	(2,900	)

Note_12_Fair_Value_Measurement1

Note 12 - Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring [Table Text Block]	Fair Value at December 31, 2014	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	Measured on a recurring basis:
	Derivative contract, net	$	-	$	(1,750	)	$	-
	Measured on a non-recurring basis:
	Equity-method investment	$	-	$	-		$	33,282
	Fair Value at December 31, 2013	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
	Measured on a recurring basis:
	Derivative contract, net	$	-	$	(2,900	)	$	-
Schedule of Carrying Values and Estimated Fair Values of Debt Instruments [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014		2013
	Carrying value	$	257,780	$	132,616
	Fair value		270,781		126,786

Note_13_Income_Taxes_Tables

Note 13 - Income Taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Current:
	Federal	$	56,342		$	46,727		$	31,438
	State		7,944			5,539			3,626
			64,286			52,266			35,064
	Deferred:
	Federal		10,433			9,010			10,888
	State		236			(702	)		3,110
			10,669			8,308			13,998
	Total	$	74,955		$	60,574		$	49,062
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Federal tax provision at statutory rate	$	73,673		$	58,026		$	44,723
	State taxes, net of federal income tax benefit		6,526			3,141			4,772
	Non-deductible expenses		3,188			1,010			618
	Permanent differences related to the employee stock purchase program		68			55			52
	Net change in valuation allowance		(4,121	)		(554	)		(1,200	)
	General business credits		(4,002	)		(440	)		-
	Other		(377	)		(664	)		97
	Income tax provision	$	74,955		$	60,574		$	49,062
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014			2013
	Deferred tax assets:
	Deferred revenue and cancellation reserves	$	31,539		$	22,356
	Allowances and accruals, including state tax carryforward amounts		28,553			17,561
	Interest on derivatives		678			1,113
	Credits and other		-			1,937
	Goodwill		2,668			10,331
	Capital loss carryforward		10,711			10,893
	Valuation allowance		(8,663	)		(11,087	)
	Total deferred tax assets		65,486			53,104
	Deferred tax liabilities:
	Inventories		(19,356	)		(6,722	)
	Goodwill		(21,320	)		-
	Property and equipment, principally due to differences in depreciation		(67,271	)		(32,563	)
	Prepaid expenses and other		(2,936	)		(2,015	)
	Total deferred tax liabilities		(110,883	)		(41,300	)
	Total	$	(45,397	)	$	11,804
Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits Roll Forward [Table Text Block]	Balance, December 31, 2013	$	-
	Acquired with acquisition		1,495
	Balance, December 31, 2014	$	1,495

Note_14_Acquisitions_Tables

Note 14 - Acquisitions (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed [Table Text Block]	Consideration paid for year ended December 31,	DCH			All other acquisitions			Total			2013
								2014
	Cash paid, net of cash acquired	$	569,995		$	89,639		$	659,634		$	81,105
	Equity securities issued		19,736			-			19,736			-
		$	589,731		$	89,639		$	679,370		$	81,105
	Assets acquired and liabilities assumed for year ended December 31,	DCH			All other acquisitions			Total			2013
								2014
	Trade receivables, net	$	63,888		$	-		$	63,888		$	-
	Inventories		265,378			48,662			314,040			30,624
	Franchise value		72,856			7,377			80,233			8,770
	Property, plant and equipment		256,122			17,395			273,517			24,741
	Other assets		20,313			531			20,844			264
	Floor plan notes payable		(24,686	)		-			(24,686	)		-
	Debt and capital lease obligations		(52,532	)		(3,161	)		(55,693	)		(37	)
	Deferred taxes, net		(49,651	)		-			(49,651	)		-
	Other liabilities		(92,863	)		(123	)		(92,986	)		(721	)
			458,825			70,681			529,506			63,641
	Goodwill		130,906			18,958			149,864			17,464
		$	589,731		$	89,639		$	679,370		$	81,105
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013
	Revenue	$	7,153,497		$	6,488,280
	Income from continuing operations, net of tax		148,119			125,958
	Basic income per share from continuing operations, net of tax		5.67			4.88
	Diluted income per share from continuing operations, net of tax		5.61			4.81

Note_15_Discontinued_Operation1

Note 15 - Discontinued Operations (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Disclosure of Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014			2013
	Inventories	$	6,284		$	8,260
	Property, plant and equipment		1,739			1,194
	Intangible assets		540			2,072
		$	8,563		$	11,526
	December 31,	2014			2013
	Floor plan notes payable	$	4,892		$	6,271
Schedule of Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Floor plan interest	$	32		$	117		$	217
	Other interest		8			21			69
	Total interest	$	40		$	138		$	286
	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Revenue	$	12,569		$	38,978		$	82,150
	Pre-tax gain (loss) from discontinued operations	$	(467	)	$	1,310		$	2,186
	Net gain (loss) on disposal activities		5,744			-			(621	)
			5,277			1,310			1,565
	Income tax expense		(2,097	)		(524	)		(598	)
	Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense	$	3,180		$	786		$	967
	Goodwill and other intangible assets disposed of	$	211		$	-		$	169

Note_17_Net_Income_Per_Share_o1

Note 17 - Net Income Per Share of Class A and Class B Common Stock (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014						2013						2012
	Basic EPS	Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B
	Numerator:
	Income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	122,246		$	13,294		$	94,532		$	10,682		$	69,069		$	10,326
	Distributed income applicable to common stockholders		(14,367	)		(1,562	)		(9,061	)		(1,024	)		(10,497	)		(1,569	)
	Basic undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	107,879		$	11,732		$	85,471		$	9,658		$	58,572		$	8,757
	Denominator:
	Weighted average number of shares out-standing used to calculate basic income per share		23,559			2,562			23,185			2,620			22,354			3,342
	Basic income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders	$	5.19		$	5.19		$	4.08		$	4.08		$	3.09		$	3.09
	Basic distributed income per share applicable to common stockholders		(0.61	)		(061	)		(0.39	)		(0.39	)		(0.47	)		(0.47	)
	Basic undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders	$	4.58		$	4.58		$	3.69		$	3.69		$	2.62		$	2.62
	Year Ended December 31,	2014						2013						2012
	Diluted EPS	Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B
	Numerator:
	Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	$	14,367		$	1,562		$	9,061		$	1,024		$	10,497		$	1,569
	Reallocation of distributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options		15			(15	)		15			(15	)		28			(28	)
	Reallocation of distributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A		1,547			-			1,009			-			1,541			-
	Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	$	15,929		$	1,547		$	10,085		$	1,009		$	12,066		$	1,541
	Undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	107,879		$	11,732		$	85,471		$	9,658		$	58,572		$	8,757
	Reallocation of undistributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options		116			(116	)		142			(142	)		159			(159	)
	Reallocation of undistributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A		11,616			-			9,516			-			8,598			-
	Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$	119,611		$	11,616		$	95,129		$	9,516		$	67,329		$	8,598
	Denominator:
	Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate basic income per share		23,559			2,562			23,185			2,620			22,354			3,342
	Weighted average number of shares from stock options		261			-			386			-			474			-
	Conversion of Class B to Class A		2,562			-			2,620			-			3,342			-
	Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate diluted income per share		26,382			2,562			26,191			2,620			26,170			3,342
	Year Ended December 31,	2014						2013						2012
	Diluted EPS	Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B			Class A			Class B
	Diluted income from continuing operations per share available to common stockholders	$	5.14		$	5.14		$	4.02		$	4.02		$	3.03		$	3.03
	Diluted distributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders		(0.61	)		(0.61	)		(0.39	)		(0.39	)		(0.47	)		(0.47	)
	Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders	$	4.53		$	4.53		$	3.63		$	3.63		$	2.56		$	2.56
	Antidilutive Securities:
	Shares issuable pursuant to stock options not included since they were antidilutive		13			-			16			-			45			-

Note_18_EquityMethod_Investmen1

Note 18 - Equity-Method Investment (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Equity Method Investments [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014
	Asset impairments to write investment down to fair value	$	1,853
	Our portion of the partnership’s operating losses		1,160
	Non-cash interest expense related to the amortization of the discounted fair value of future equity contributions		152
	Tax benefits and credits generated		6,506

Note_19_Segments_Tables

Note 19 - Segments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
	Revenues:
	Domestic	$	2,569,904		$	2,147,417		$	1,832,040
	Import		1,889,166			1,223,861			976,706
	Luxury		926,804			629,521			498,429
			5,385,874			4,000,799			3,307,175
	Corporate and other		4,452			4,950			9,312
		$	5,390,326		$	4,005,749		$	3,316,487
	Segment income*:
	Domestic	$	96,358		$	84,352		$	69,234
	Import		49,940			40,390			30,776
	Luxury		24,540			16,128			11,273
			170,838			140,870			111,283
	Corporate and other		39,657			24,918			17,174
	Income from continuing operations before income taxes	$	210,495		$	165,788		$	128,457
	*Segment income is defined as operating income less floor plan interest expense.
	Floor plan interest expense:
	Domestic	$	17,895		$	15,254		$	12,334
	Import		9,396			6,444			3,521
	Luxury		5,098			3,931			2,483
			32,389			25,629			18,338
	Corporate and other		(18,528	)		(13,256	)		(5,522	)
		$	13,861		$	12,373		$	12,816
Reconciliation of Assets from Segment to Consolidated [Table Text Block]	December 31,	2014			2013
	Total assets:
	Domestic	$	831,574		$	648,426
	Import		696,162			308,591
	Luxury		405,222			218,557
	Corporate and other		947,974			549,547
		$	2,880,932		$	1,725,121

Note_1_Summary_of_Significant_2

Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) [Line Items]
Number of New Vehicle Brands	30
Number of Stores	129
Interest Costs Capitalized	$400,000	$100,000	$300,000
Advertising Expense	46,700,000	39,600,000	31,900,000
Cooperative Advertising Amount	16,300,000	11,800,000	9,600,000
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Amount	1,600,000,000
Product Warranty Accrual	$400,000	$500,000
Number of Reportable Segments	3
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Financial Institutions	16
Number of Manufacturer-Affiliated Finance Companies	7
Minimum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	1.40%
Maximum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	3.00%

Note_1_Summary_of_Significant_3

Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Estimated Useful Lives	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment	5 years
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment	40 years
Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment	5 years
Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment	15 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment	3 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - Estimated Useful Lives [Line Items]
Property and equipment	10 years

Note_2_Accounts_Receivable_Det

Note 2 - Accounts Receivable (Details) - Accounts Receivable (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable	$320,841	$180,754
Less: Allowances	-3,130	-546
Less: Long-term portion of accounts receivable, net	-22,332	-9,689
Total accounts receivable, net	295,379	170,519
Contracts in Transit [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable	162,785	85,272
Trade Accounts Receivable [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable	37,194	23,154
Vehicle Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable	34,876	23,606
Manufacturer Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable	56,008	31,662
Auto Loan Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable	25,424	11,438
Other Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable	$4,554	$5,622

Note_3_Inventories_Details

Note 3 - Inventories (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Inventory Adjustments	$12.30	$6

Note_3_Inventories_Details_Inv

Note 3 - Inventories (Details) - Inventories (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Inventory [Line Items]
Inventories, net	$1,249,659	$859,019
New Vehicle [Member]
Inventory [Line Items]
Inventories, net	958,876	657,043
Used Vehicle [Member]
Inventory [Line Items]
Inventories, net	240,908	167,814
Parts and Accessories [Member]
Inventory [Line Items]
Inventories, net	$49,875	$34,162

Note_4_Property_and_Equipment_1

Note 4 - Property and Equipment (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Asset Impairment Charges	$1,853	$115

Note_4_Property_and_Equipment_2

Note 4 - Property and Equipment (Details) - Property and Equipment (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	$899,284	$578,932
Less accumulated depreciation	-117,679	-106,871
Property and equipment, net	816,745	481,212
Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	263,328	146,126
Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	475,149	316,261
Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	60,644	42,980
Furniture and Fixtures [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	100,163	73,565
Excluding Construction in Progress [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, net	781,605	472,061
Construction in Progress [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment, gross	$35,140	$9,151

Note_5_Goodwill_and_Franchise_2

Note 5 - Goodwill and Franchise Value (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2008
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss	$299.30

Note_5_Goodwill_and_Franchise_3

Note 5 - Goodwill and Franchise Value (Details) - Goodwill (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31, 2012(1)	$49,511	[1]	$32,047	[1]
Additions through acquisitions	149,864		17,464
Balance	199,375	[1]	49,511	[1]
Domestic [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31, 2012(1)	22,548	[1]	16,132	[1]
Additions through acquisitions	68,463		6,416
Balance	91,011	[1]	22,548	[1]
Import [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31, 2012(1)	16,797	[1]	8,715	[1]
Additions through acquisitions	62,804		8,082
Balance	79,601	[1]	16,797	[1]
Luxury [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31, 2012(1)	10,166	[1]	7,200	[1]
Additions through acquisitions	18,597		2,966
Balance	$28,763	[1]	$10,166	[1]
[1]	Net of accumulated impairment losses of $299.3 million recorded during the year ended December 31, 2008.

Note_5_Goodwill_and_Franchise_4

Note 5 - Goodwill and Franchise Value (Details) - Franchise Value (Under Review) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Franchise Value (Under Review) [Abstract]
Balance as of December 31, 2012	$71,199	$62,429
Balance	150,892	71,199
Additions through acquisitions	80,233	8,770
Transfers to assets held for sale	($540)

Note_6_Credit_Facilities_and_L2

Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Oct. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013		Feb. 28, 2015
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities (in Dollars)	4,892,000			$6,271,000
Principal Reduction Accounts Maximum Deposit Amount (in Dollars)			50,000,000
Principal Reduction Accounts Outstanding Amount (in Dollars)	0
Debt Covenant Current Ratio	1.2
Current Ratio	1.16
Debt Covenant Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio	1.2
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio	3.3
Debt Covenant Leverage Ratio	5
Leverage Ratio	2.21
Debt Covenant Funded Debt Restriction (in Dollars)	600,000,000
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities (in Dollars)	374,000,000
Floor Plan Notes Payable (in Dollars)	41,047,000	[1]		18,789,000	[1]
Long-term Debt (in Dollars)	640,978,000
New Vehicle Floor Plan [Member] | Assets Held-for-sale [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities (in Dollars)	4,900,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Syndicated Credit Facility [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Covenant Current Ratio						1.1
Scenario, Subject to Lender Approval [Member] | Syndicated Credit Facility [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			1,850,000,000
Reallocation [Member] | Syndicated Credit Facility [Member] | Used Vehicle Inventory Financing [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			250,000,000
Reallocation [Member] | Syndicated Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			300,000,000
Assets Held-for-sale [Member] | New Vehicle Floor Plan [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities (in Dollars)				4,800,000
Assets Held-for-sale [Member] | Vehicles Designated As Service Loaners [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities (in Dollars)				1,500,000
Mortgages [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	1.70%
Mortgages [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.00%
Mortgages [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Total Debt Fixed Rate Percent	66.00%
Other 1 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.00%
Other 1 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	9.40%
Other 1 [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Long-term Debt (in Dollars)	37,800,000
Syndicated Credit Facility [Member] | New Vehicle Floor Plan [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			1,250,000,000
Syndicated Credit Facility [Member] | Used Vehicle Inventory Financing [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			150,000,000
Syndicated Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			300,000,000
Syndicated Credit Facility [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			1,700,000,000
Number of Financial Institutions			16
Number of Manufacturer-Affiliated Finance Companies			7
Floor Plan Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.40%
Floor Plan Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%
New Vehicle Floor Plan [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.25%
New Vehicle Floor Plan [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)	1,250,000,000			700,000,000
Reserve Commitment Percent	95.00%
Reserve Amount (in Dollars)	15,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period	1.40%
Used Vehicle Inventory Financing [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.50%
Used Vehicle Inventory Financing [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period	1.70%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.25%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.50%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Financial Institutions	16
Number of Manufacturer-Affiliated Finance Companies	7
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period	2.20%
[1]	At December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had an additional $4.9 and $4.8 million of floor plan notes payable outstanding, respectively, on our new vehicle floor plan commitment recorded as liability related to assets held for sale. Additionally, at December 31, 2013, we had $1.5 million of floor plan notes payable on vehicles designated as service loaners recorded as liabilities related to assets held for sale.

Note_6_Credit_Facilities_and_L3

Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt [Line Items]
New vehicle floor plan commitment (1) (2)	$1,137,632	[1],[2]	$695,066	[1],[2]
Floor plan notes payable (2)	41,047	[2]	18,789	[2]
Total floor plan debt	1,178,679		713,855
Real estate mortgages	334,443		164,827
Other debt	37,766		2,727
Total debt	1,819,657		966,409
Used Vehicle Inventory Financing [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Line of credit	134,000		85,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt [Line Items]
Line of credit	$134,769
[1]	As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had a new vehicle floor plan commitment of $1.25 billion and $700 million, respectively, as part of our credit facility.
[2]	At December 31, 2014 and 2013, we had an additional $4.9 and $4.8 million of floor plan notes payable outstanding, respectively, on our new vehicle floor plan commitment recorded as liability related to assets held for sale. Additionally, at December 31, 2013, we had $1.5 million of floor plan notes payable on vehicles designated as service loaners recorded as liabilities related to assets held for sale.

Note_6_Credit_Facilities_and_L4

Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-term Debt (Details) - Future Principal Payments on Long-term Debt (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Future Principal Payments on Long-term Debt [Abstract]
2015	$31,912
2016	70,620
2017	11,691
2018	30,083
2019	308,636
Thereafter	188,036
Total principal payments	$640,978

Note_7_Commitments_and_Conting2

Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Minimum Rentals	$17,200,000	$14,000,000	$15,200,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	85,983,000	50,025,000	64,584,000
Charge Backs Liabilities	26,762,000
Contracts Obligations Reserve	3,400,000
Self Insurance Reserve	23,200,000	12,000,000
Lifetime Oil Contracts [Member]
Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Revenue	$63,400,000

Note_7_Commitments_and_Conting3

Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) - Minimum Lease Payments (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Minimum Lease Payments [Abstract]
2015	$24,623
2016	23,486
2017	21,310
2018	19,108
2019	19,231
Thereafter	91,145
Total minimum lease payments	198,903
Less: sublease rentals	-10,715
	$188,188

Note_7_Commitments_and_Conting4

Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) - Charge-Backs for Various Contracts (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Charge-Backs for Various Contracts [Abstract]
2015	$15,232
2016	7,576
2017	2,907
2018	828
2019	197
Thereafter	22
Total	$26,762

Note_7_Commitments_and_Conting5

Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) - Lifetime Lube, Oil and Filter Contracts Aquired (Lifetime Oil Contracts [Member], USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Lifetime Oil Contracts [Member]
Note 7 - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) - Lifetime Lube, Oil and Filter Contracts Aquired [Line Items]
2015	$13,065
2016	10,191
2017	8,119
2018	6,730
2019	5,610
Thereafter	19,637
Total	$63,352

Note_8_Stockholders_Equity_Det

Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			41 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Nov. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Jul. 20, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011
Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) [Line Items]
Payments of Dividends (in Dollars)	$2,600	$2,500	$15,929	$10,085	$12,066
Common Class B [Member]
Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) [Line Items]
Conversion Of Common Stock, Shares			1
Percentage of Class B Common Stock To Total Common Stock Subject To Automatic Conversion			1.00%
Common Stock Number of Votes			10
Common Class A [Member] | Additional Shares Authorized [Member]
Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) [Line Items]
Stock Repurchase Program, Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased							1,000,000
Common Class A [Member]
Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) [Line Items]
Common Stock Number of Votes			1
Stock Repurchase Program, Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased								2,000,000
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares						1,499,776
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share (in Dollars per share)						$31.19
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased			1,500,224			1,500,224
Shares Paid for Tax Withholding for Share Based Compensation			106,772	59,721	80,687

Note_8_Stockholders_Equity_Det1

Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) - Share Repurchases (USD $)	12 Months Ended						41 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2014
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Total purchase price (in thousands)	$22,968		$7,903		$23,279
Common Class A [Member] | Share Repurchase Plan [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Shares repurchased (1)	226,729	[1]	127,900	[1]	848,092	[1]
Total purchase price (in thousands)	$15,990		$5,213		$20,698
Average purchase price per share	$70.52		$40.76		$24.41
Common Class A [Member]
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Shares repurchased (1)							1,499,776
Average purchase price per share							$31.19
[1]	Includes only shares repurchased under repurchase plans. An additional 106,772, 59,721 and 80,687 shares were repurchased in association with tax withholdings on the exercise of stock options in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Note_8_Stockholders_Equity_Det2

Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) - Dividends Paid (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012
2012
Dividend amount per share	$0.16	$0.16	$0.16	$0.13	$0.13	$0.13	$0.13	$0.20	[1]	$0.10	$0.10	$0.07
Total amount of dividend	$4,198	$4,174	$4,179	$3,378	$3,366	$3,363	$3,356	$5,123	[1]	$2,545	$2,583	$1,815
[1]	In November 2012, we paid dividends of $2.5 million that had been declared in October 2012. An additional dividend payment of $2.6 million was declared and paid in December 2012 in lieu of the dividend typically declared and paid in March of the following year.

Note_8_Stockholders_Equity_Det3

Note 8 - Stockholders' Equity (Details) - Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Floor Plan Interest Expense [Member] | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Loss on cash flow hedges	($488)	($740)	($1,413)
Floor Plan Interest Expense [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Loss on cash flow hedges	488	740	1,413
Income Tax Provision [Member] | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Income tax benefits	187	283	541
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income on Derivatives [Line Items]
Loss on cash flow hedges, net	($301)	($457)	($872)

Note_9_401k_Profit_Sharing_Def2

Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2014
Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount	$3.20	$2.10	$1.90
Minimum [Member]
Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Requisite Service Period	1 year
Maximum [Member]
Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Requisite Service Period	7 years
Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member]
Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent				$14.20

Note_9_401k_Profit_Sharing_Def3

Note 9 - 401(k) Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation and Long-term Incentive Plans (Details) - Compensation Expense (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Compensation Expense [Abstract]
Compensation expense (in millions)	$1.90	$1.40	$1.20
Total discretionary contribution (in millions)	$2.40	$2.10	$1.90
Guaranteed annual return	5.25%	5.25%	5.90%

Note_10_Stock_Based_Compensati2

Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended	132 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Common Class A [Member] | Two Thousand Thirteen Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant	1,604,410	1,604,410
Restricted Stock [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Two Thousand Thirteen Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	4 years
Time Vesting RSU [Member] | Two Thousand Thirteen Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Restricted Stock Award, Gross	51,343
Performance and Time Vesting RSUs [Member] | Two Thousand Thirteen Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Restricted Stock Award, Gross	33,612
Performance and Time Vesting RSUs [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Estimated Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense	100.00%
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Two Thousand Thirteen Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	5 years
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Two Thousand Thirteen Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	10 years	6 years
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Stock Options (in Dollars)	7.9	7.9
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year 6 months
Net of Discount [Member] | The2009 ESPP [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Per Share Weighted Average Price of Shares Purchased (in Dollars per share)	67.56	67.56
Per Share Discount [Member] | The2009 ESPP [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Per Share Weighted Average Price of Shares Purchased (in Dollars per share)	11.92	11.92
The2009 ESPP [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	1,500,000	1,500,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Maximum Employee Subscription Rate	10.00%	10.00%
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award Maximum Amount of Stock Per Employee	25,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Purchase Price of Common Stock, Percent	85.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period	64,817
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant	539,471	539,471
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Discount from Market Price, Offering Date	15.00%
Two Thousand Thirteen Stock Incentive Plan [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	3,800,000	3,800,000

Note_10_Stock_Based_Compensati3

Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) - Stock Incentive Plans Activity - Restricted Stock (Restricted Stock [Member], USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock [Member]
Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) - Stock Incentive Plans Activity - Restricted Stock [Line Items]
Balance, December 31, 2013	677,358
Balance, December 31, 2013	$25.10
Balance, December 31, 2014	464,758
Balance, December 31, 2014	$36.33
Granted	84,955
Granted	$68.99
Vested	-288,042
Vested	$45.20
Forfeited	-9,513
Forfeited	$35.01

Note_10_Stock_Based_Compensati4

Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) - Stock Incentive Plans Activity - Stock Options (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Stock Incentive Plans Activity - Stock Options [Abstract]
Balance, shares subject to options	6,834	58,884
Balance, weighted average exercise price	$6.79	$6.53
Balance, aggregate intrinsic value	$0.50	$3.70
Balance, weighted average remaining contractual term	292 days	255 days
Exercised	-52,050
Exercised	$6.50
Exercisable, December 31, 2014	6,834
Exercisable, December 31, 2014	$6.79
Exercisable, December 31, 2014	$0.50
Exercisable, December 31, 2014	292 days

Note_10_Stock_Based_Compensati5

Note 10 - Stock Based Compensation (Details) - Stock-based Compensation Information (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Stock-based Compensation Information [Abstract]
Per share intrinsic value of non-vested stock granted (in Dollars per share)	$68.99	$43.13	$23.82
Weighted average per share discount for compensation expense recognized under the 2009 ESPP (in Dollars per share)	$11.92	$8.81	$4.29
Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised (millions)	$3.10	$8.70	$7.20
Fair value of non-vested stock that vested during the period (millions)	18.9	8.4	3.5
Stock-based compensation recognized in results of operations, as a component of selling, general and administrative expense - excludes compensation expense related to an option granted to one of our executives. (millions)	7.4	6.6	3.1
Tax benefit recognized in Consolidated Statements of Operations (millions)	2.6	2.3	1
Cash received from options exercised and shares purchased under all share-based arrangements (millions)	4.9	5.2	8.8
Tax deduction realized related to stock options exercised (millions)	$8.40	$6.50	$4.10

Note_11_Derivative_Financial_I2

Note 11 - Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) (Interest Rate Swap [Member], USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Note 11 - Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Notional Amount	$25
Derivative, Maturity Date	15-Jun-16
Derivative, Fixed Interest Rate	5.59%
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified within Twelve Months	$1.10
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Note 11 - Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) [Line Items]
Derivative, Variable Interest Rate	0.17%

Note_11_Derivative_Financial_I3

Note 11 - Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) - Fair Value of Derivative Instruments in Consolidated Balance Sheets (Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member], USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Interest rate swap contracts	$1,750	$2,900
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Interest rate swap contracts	1,194	1,215
Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Interest rate swap contracts	$556	$1,685

Note_11_Derivative_Financial_I4

Note 11 - Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) - Effect of Derivative Instruments on Consolidated Statements of Operations (Floor Plan Interest Expense [Member], USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Floor Plan Interest Expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest Rate Swap Contract, Amount of Gain Recognized in Accumulated OCI (Effective Portion)	$505	$1,005	$1,655
Interest Rate Swap Contract, Amount of Loss Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income (Effective Portion)	-488	-740	-1,413
Interest Rate Swap Contract, Amount of Loss Recognized in Income on Derivative (Ineffective Portion and Amount Excluded from Effectiveness Testing)	($732)	($1,235)	($2,900)

Note_12_Fair_Value_Measurement2

Note 12 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Asset Impairment Charges	$1,853	$115

Note_12_Fair_Value_Measurement3

Note 12 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) - Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Measured on a recurring basis:
Derivative contracts, net	$0	$0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Measured on a recurring basis:
Derivative contracts, net	-1,750	-2,900
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Measured on a recurring basis:
Derivative contracts, net	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member]
Measured on a non-recurring basis:
Equity-method investment	$33,282

Note_12_Fair_Value_Measurement4

Note 12 - Fair Value Measurements (Details) - Long-term Fixed Interest Rate Debt (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Long-term Fixed Interest Rate Debt [Abstract]
Carrying value	$257,780	$132,616
Fair value	$270,781	$126,786

Note_13_Income_Taxes_Details

Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2015
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Income Taxes Receivable	$5,600,000	$3,400,000
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	35.00%
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	8,663,000	11,087,000
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	-2,400,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, State and Local	2,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Period Increase (Decrease)		0	0
Earliest Tax Year [Member] | State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Open Tax Year	2009
Earliest Tax Year [Member] | Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Open Tax Year	2011
Latest Tax Year [Member] | State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Open Tax Year	2014
Latest Tax Year [Member] | Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Open Tax Year	2014
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] | DCH Auto Group (USA) Inc. [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	1,700,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Valuation Allowance	1,600,000
Number Of States With Open Tax Years	14
Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Period Increase (Decrease)				0
U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation [Member]
Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	($4,100,000)

Note_13_Income_Taxes_Details_I

Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) - Income Tax Provision (Benefit) from Continuing Operations (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Deferred:
	$13,355	$14,477	$14,172
Total	74,955	60,574	49,062
Continuing Operations [Member]
Current:
Federal	56,342	46,727	31,438
State	7,944	5,539	3,626
	64,286	52,266	35,064
Deferred:
Federal	10,433	9,010	10,888
State	236	-702	3,110
	10,669	8,308	13,998
Total	$74,955	$60,574	$49,062

Note_13_Income_Taxes_Details_T

Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) - Tax Rate Reconciliation (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Tax Rate Reconciliation [Abstract]
Federal tax provision at statutory rate	$73,673	$58,026	$44,723
State taxes, net of federal income tax benefit	6,526	3,141	4,772
Non-deductible expenses	3,188	1,010	618
Permanent differences related to the employee stock purchase program	68	55	52
Net change in valuation allowance	-4,121	-554	-1,200
General business credits	-4,002	-440
Other	-377	-664	97
Income tax provision	$74,955	$60,574	$49,062

Note_13_Income_Taxes_Details_D

Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) - Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred revenue and cancellation reserves	$31,539	$22,356
Allowances and accruals, including state tax carryforward amounts	28,553	17,561
Interest on derivatives	678	1,113
Credits and other		1,937
Goodwill	2,668	10,331
Capital loss carryforward	10,711	10,893
Valuation allowance	-8,663	-11,087
Total deferred tax assets	65,486	53,104
Deferred tax liabilities:
Inventories	-19,356	-6,722
Goodwill	-21,320
Property and equipment, principally due to differences in depreciation	-67,271	-32,563
Prepaid expenses and other	-2,936	-2,015
Total deferred tax liabilities	-110,883	-41,300
Total	-45,397
Total		$11,804

Note_13_Income_Taxes_Details_U

Note 13 - Income Taxes (Details) - Unrecognized Tax Benefits (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Unrecognized Tax Benefits [Abstract]
Balance	$0
Acquired with acquisition	1,495
Balance	$1,495

Note_14_Acquisitions_Details

Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Oct. 01, 2014
Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Revenue of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual	$724,400,000
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Earnings or Loss of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual	9,300,000
Number of Stores	129
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount	70,200,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs		0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs	$1,900,000
DCH Auto Group (USA) Inc. [Member]
Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Number of Stores				27

Note_14_Acquisitions_Details_S

Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) - Summary of Acquisitions (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) - Summary of Acquisitions [Line Items]
Cash paid, net of cash acquired	$659,634	$81,105	$44,716
Equity securities issued	19,736
	679,370	81,105
Trade receivables, net	63,888
Inventories	314,040	30,624
Franchise value	80,233	8,770
Property, plant and equipment	273,517	24,741
Other assets	20,844	264
Floor plan notes payable	-24,686
Debt and capital lease obligations	-55,693	-37
Deferred taxes, net	-49,651
Other liabilities	-92,986	-721
	529,506	63,641
Goodwill	149,864	17,464
	679,370	81,105
DCH Auto Group (USA) Inc. [Member]
Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) - Summary of Acquisitions [Line Items]
Cash paid, net of cash acquired	569,995
Equity securities issued	19,736
	589,731
Trade receivables, net	63,888
Inventories	265,378
Franchise value	72,856
Property, plant and equipment	256,122
Other assets	20,313
Floor plan notes payable	-24,686
Debt and capital lease obligations	-52,532
Deferred taxes, net	-49,651
Other liabilities	-92,863
	458,825
Goodwill	130,906
	589,731
All Other Acquisitions [Member]
Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) - Summary of Acquisitions [Line Items]
Cash paid, net of cash acquired	89,639
	89,639
Inventories	48,662
Franchise value	7,377
Property, plant and equipment	17,395
Other assets	531
Debt and capital lease obligations	-3,161
Other liabilities	-123
	70,681
Goodwill	18,958
	$89,639

Note_14_Acquisitions_Details_P

Note 14 - Acquisitions (Details) - Pro Forma (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Pro Forma [Abstract]
Revenue	$7,153,497	$6,488,280
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	$148,119	$125,958
Basic income per share from continuing operations, net of tax	$5.67	$4.88
Diluted income per share from continuing operations, net of tax	$5.61	$4.81

Note_15_Discontinued_Operation2

Note 15 - Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 15 - Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) from Disposal of Discontinued Operation, before Income Tax	$5,744	($621)
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Note 15 - Discontinued Operations (Details) [Line Items]
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) from Disposal of Discontinued Operation, before Income Tax	$6,800

Note_15_Discontinued_Operation3

Note 15 - Discontinued Operations (Details) - Assets and Related Liabilities Held for Sale (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Assets held for sale	$8,563	$11,526
Floor plan notes payable	4,892	6,271
Inventory [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Assets held for sale	6,284	8,260
Property Plant and Equipment Held for Sale [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Assets held for sale	1,739	1,194
Intangible Assets [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Assets held for sale	$540	$2,072

Note_15_Discontinued_Operation4

Note 15 - Discontinued Operations (Details) - Financial Information of Discontinued Operations (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Floor plan interest	$13,861	$12,373	$12,816
Other interest	10,742	8,350	9,621
Revenue	12,569	38,978	82,150
Pre-tax gain (loss) from discontinued operations	-467	1,310	2,186
Net gain (loss) on disposal activities	5,744		-621
	5,277	1,310	1,565
Income tax expense	-2,097	-524	-598
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense	3,180	786	967
Goodwill and other intangible assets disposed of	211		169
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Floor plan interest	32	117	217
Other interest	8	21	69
Total interest	$40	$138	$286

Note_16_Related_Party_Transact1

Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 27, 2012
Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items]
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested	$10,617,000	$6,618,000
Sale of Nissan Volkswagen and BMW Stores [Member]
Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction Sale Ownership Percentage					80.00%
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction			9,600,000
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested			2,900,000
Noncash or Part Noncash Divestiture, Amount of Consideration Received			6,700,000
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business			700,000
Agreement Purchase Price Intangible Assets		1,200,000	1,200,000
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage					20.00%
Sale of Land [Member]
Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction				4,200,000
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets				2,500,000
Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW Stores in Medford, Oregon [Member] | Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments	1,200,000
Remaining 20 Interest [Member]
Note 16 - Related Party Transactions (Details) [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments					800,000
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments		$200,000

Note_17_Net_Income_Per_Share_o2

Note 17 - Net Income Per Share of Class A and Class B Common Stock (Details) - Earnings Per Share Reconciliation (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	$135,540,000	$105,214,000	$79,395,000
Denominator:
Weighted average number of shares out-standing used to calculate basic income per share (in Shares)	26,121	25,805	25,696
Basic income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	$5.19	$4.08	$3.09
Denominator:
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate basic income per share (in Shares)	26,121	25,805	25,696
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate diluted income per share (in Shares)	26,382	26,191	26,170
Common Class A [Member] | Equity Option [Member]
Antidilutive Securities:
Shares issuable pursuant to stock options not included since they were antidilutive (in Shares)	13	16	45
Common Class A [Member] | Basic [Member]
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	-14,367,000	-9,061,000	-10,497,000
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	14,367,000	9,061,000	10,497,000
Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	14,367,000	9,061,000	10,497,000
Common Class A [Member] | Distributed [Member]
Numerator:
Reallocation of distributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	15,000	15,000	28,000
Reallocation of distributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A	1,547,000	1,009,000	1,541,000
Reallocation of undistributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	15,000	15,000	28,000
Reallocation of undistributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A	1,547,000	1,009,000	1,541,000
Common Class A [Member] | Diluted [Member]
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	-15,929,000	-10,085,000	-12,066,000
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	15,929,000	10,085,000	12,066,000
Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	15,929,000	10,085,000	12,066,000
Undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	119,611,000	95,129,000	67,329,000
Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	119,611,000	95,129,000	67,329,000
Common Class A [Member] | Undistributed [Member]
Numerator:
Reallocation of distributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	116,000	142,000	159,000
Reallocation of distributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A	11,616,000	9,516,000	8,598,000
Reallocation of undistributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	116,000	142,000	159,000
Reallocation of undistributed income due to conversion of Class B to Class A	11,616,000	9,516,000	8,598,000
Common Class A [Member]
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	122,246,000	94,532,000	69,069,000
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	-14,367,000	-9,061,000	-10,497,000
Basic undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	107,879,000	85,471,000	58,572,000
Denominator:
Weighted average number of shares out-standing used to calculate basic income per share (in Shares)	23,559	23,185	22,354
Basic income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	$5,190	$4,080	$3,090
Basic distributed income per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	($610)	($390)	($470)
Basic undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	$4,580	$3,690	$2,620
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	14,367,000	9,061,000	10,497,000
Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	14,367,000	9,061,000	10,497,000
Undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	107,879,000	85,471,000	58,572,000
Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	107,879,000	85,471,000	58,572,000
Denominator:
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate basic income per share (in Shares)	23,559	23,185	22,354
Weighted average number of shares from stock options (in Shares)	261	386	474
Conversion of Class B to Class A (in Shares)	2,562	2,620	3,342
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate diluted income per share (in Shares)	26,382	26,191	26,170
Diluted income from continuing operations per share available to common stockholders	5,140	4,020	3,030
Diluted distributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	($610)	($390)	($470)
Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	$4,530	$3,630	$2,560
Common Class B [Member] | Basic [Member]
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	-1,562,000	-1,024,000	-1,569,000
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	1,562,000	1,024,000	1,569,000
Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	1,562,000	1,024,000	1,569,000
Common Class B [Member] | Distributed [Member]
Numerator:
Reallocation of distributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	-15,000	-15,000	-28,000
Reallocation of undistributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	-15,000	-15,000	-28,000
Common Class B [Member] | Diluted [Member]
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	-1,547,000	-1,009,000	-1,541,000
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	1,547,000	1,009,000	1,541,000
Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	1,547,000	1,009,000	1,541,000
Undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	11,616,000	9,516,000	8,598,000
Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	11,616,000	9,516,000	8,598,000
Common Class B [Member] | Undistributed [Member]
Numerator:
Reallocation of distributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	-116,000	-142,000	-159,000
Reallocation of undistributed income as a result of conversion of dilutive stock options	-116,000	-142,000	-159,000
Common Class B [Member]
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	13,294,000	10,682,000	10,326,000
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	-1,562,000	-1,024,000	-1,569,000
Basic undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	11,732,000	9,658,000	8,757,000
Denominator:
Weighted average number of shares out-standing used to calculate basic income per share (in Shares)	2,562	2,620	3,342
Basic income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	$5,190	$4,080	$3,090
Basic distributed income per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	($61,000)	($390)	($470)
Basic undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	$4,580	$3,690	$2,620
Numerator:
Distributed income applicable to common stockholders	1,562,000	1,024,000	1,569,000
Diluted distributed income applicable to common stockholders	1,562,000	1,024,000	1,569,000
Undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	11,732,000	9,658,000	8,757,000
Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations applicable to common stockholders	11,732,000	9,658,000	8,757,000
Denominator:
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate basic income per share (in Shares)	2,562	2,620	3,342
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used to calculate diluted income per share (in Shares)	2,562	2,620	3,342
Diluted income from continuing operations per share available to common stockholders	$5,140	$4,020	$3,030
Diluted distributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	($610)	($390)	($470)
Diluted undistributed income from continuing operations per share applicable to common stockholders (in Dollars per share)	$4,530	$3,630	$2,560

Note_18_EquityMethod_Investmen2

Note 18 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) (NMTC Program [Member], USD $)	0 Months Ended	2 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2014
Note 18 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	99.90%		99.90%
Equity Method Investment, Equity Contribution Obligation	$37.10		$37.10
Equity Method Investment, Equity Contribution Obligation, Term	2 years
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments		4.1
Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Note 18 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments		33.3
Accrued Liabilities and Other Long-term Liabilities [Member]
Note 18 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Equity Contribution Obligation, Present Value		$32.20

Note_18_EquityMethod_Investmen3

Note 18 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) - Equity-Method Investment (NMTC Program [Member], USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
NMTC Program [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Asset impairments to write investment down to fair value	$1,853
Our portion of the partnershipbs operating losses	1,160
Non-cash interest expense related to the amortization of the discounted fair value of future equity contributions	152
Tax benefits and credits generated	$6,506

Note_19_Segments_Details_Certa

Note 19 - Segments (Details) - Certain Segment Financial Information (USD $)	12 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:
Revenues	$5,390,326		$4,005,749		$3,316,487
Segment income*:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	210,495		165,788		128,457
Floor plan interest expense:
Floor Plan Interest Expense	13,861		12,373		12,816
Operating Segments [Member] | Domestic [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	2,569,904		2,147,417		1,832,040
Segment income*:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	96,358	[1]	84,352	[1]	69,234	[1]
Floor plan interest expense:
Floor Plan Interest Expense	17,895		15,254		12,334
Operating Segments [Member] | Import [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	1,889,166		1,223,861		976,706
Segment income*:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	49,940	[1]	40,390	[1]	30,776	[1]
Floor plan interest expense:
Floor Plan Interest Expense	9,396		6,444		3,521
Operating Segments [Member] | Luxury [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	926,804		629,521		498,429
Floor plan interest expense:
Floor Plan Interest Expense	5,098		3,931		2,483
Operating Segments [Member] | Luxury [Member]
Segment income*:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	24,540	[1]	16,128	[1]	11,273	[1]
Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	5,385,874		4,000,799		3,307,175
Segment income*:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	170,838		140,870		111,283
Floor plan interest expense:
Floor Plan Interest Expense	32,389		25,629		18,338
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	4,452		4,950		9,312
Segment income*:
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	39,657		24,918		17,174
Floor plan interest expense:
Floor Plan Interest Expense	($18,528)		($13,256)		($5,522)
[1]	Segment income is defined as operating income less floor plan interest expense.

Note_19_Segments_Details_Segme

Note 19 - Segments (Details) - Segment Assets (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Total assets:
Total Assets	$2,880,932	$1,725,121
Operating Segments [Member] | Domestic [Member]
Total assets:
Total Assets	831,574	648,426
Operating Segments [Member] | Import [Member]
Total assets:
Total Assets	696,162	308,591
Operating Segments [Member] | Luxury [Member]
Total assets:
Total Assets	405,222	218,557
Operating Segments [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member]
Total assets:
Total Assets	$947,974	$549,547

Note_21_Subsequent_Events_Deta

Note 21 - Subsequent Events (Details) (Subsequent Event [Member], USD $)	0 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 23, 2015
Subsequent Event [Member]
Note 21 - Subsequent Events (Details) [Line Items]
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$0.16
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	$4.20