FINANCE RECEIVABLES - Schedule of Charge-off Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Financing Receivable Excluding Accrued Interest Allowance For Credit Loss Writeoff By Origination Year [Abstract]
2023	$ 5.0	$ 0.0
2022	47.1	5.7
2021	23.0	24.1
2020	2.3	3.5
Other finance receivables	1.7	3.0
Total charge-offs	$ 79.1	$ 36.3

Financing Receivable, Excluding Accrued Interest, Other Financing Receivables, Writeoff

No definition available.

Name:	lad_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestOtherFinancingReceivablesWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	lad_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding accrued interest, of decrease in allowance for credit loss on financing receivable from writeoff. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-6

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (d)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479319/326-20-50-13

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestAllowanceForCreditLossWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, excluding accrued interest, of writeoff of financing receivable originated three years before current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestYearFourOriginatedThreeYearsBeforeCurrentFiscalYearWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding accrued interest, of writeoff of financing receivable originated in current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestYearOneOriginatedCurrentFiscalYearWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding accrued interest, of writeoff of financing receivable originated two years before current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestYearThreeOriginatedTwoYearsBeforeCurrentFiscalYearWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, excluding accrued interest, of writeoff of financing receivable originated in fiscal year before current fiscal year. Excludes net investment in lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableExcludingAccruedInterestYearTwoOriginatedFiscalYearBeforeCurrentFiscalYearWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration