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Note 11 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) (NMTC Program [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
NMTC Program [Member]
Note 11 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		99.90%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = lad_NMTCProgramMember
Equity Method Investment, Equity Contribution Obligation	$ 49.8lad_EquityMethodInvestmentEquityContributionObligation / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = lad_NMTCProgramMember
Equity Method Investment, Equity Contribution Obligation, Term	2 years
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments	$ 9.8us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = lad_NMTCProgramMember

X

- Definition

Represents the equity contribution obligation associated with an equity method investment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	lad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the equity contribution obligation term associated with an equity method investment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lad_EquityMethodInvestmentEquityContributionObligationTerm
Namespace Prefix:	lad_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	lad_Note11EquityMethodInvestmentDetailsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	lad_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of or advances to an equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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