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Note 11 - Equity-Method Investment (Details) - Equity-Method Investment Recorded in Consolidated Balance Sheets - NMTC Program [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Carrying value, recorded as a component of other non-current assets	$ 34,009	$ 33,282
Accrued Liabilities and Other Long-term Liabilities [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Present value of obligation associated with future equity contributions, recorded as a component of accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities	$ 33,582	$ 32,177

X

- Definition

Represents the equity contribution obligation present value 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

This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

+ References

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



-Publisher FASB



-Name Accounting Standards Codification



-Topic 323



-SubTopic 10



-Section 45



-Paragraph 1



-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35755396&loc=d3e33749-111570



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



-Publisher FASB



-Name Accounting Standards Codification



-Topic 210



-SubTopic 10



-Section S99



-Paragraph 1



-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)



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

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X

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Details

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