Note 2 - Other Assets	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]
Other Assets Disclosure [Text Block]	2 – Other Assets The total capitalized costs of the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system of $39.8 million, including capitalized interest, are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet in Other Assets, net of accumulated amortization of $7.9 million. The SAP software is being amortized over a period of 15 years. The Company is currently operating 55 Rush Truck Centers and most of its leasing operations on the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system, which represent approximately 60% of total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2014. The Company plans to convert all of its locations to the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system by the end of the second quarter of 2015. Amortization expense relating to the SAP software, which is recognized in depreciation and amortization expense in the Consolidated Statement of Income, was $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014, and $0.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The Company estimates that amortization expense relating to intangible assets will be approximately $3.3 million for each of the next five succeeding years. The Company’s only significant identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill, are rights under franchise agreements with manufacturers. The fair value of the franchise right is determined at the acquisition date by discounting the projected cash flows specific to each acquisition. The carrying value of the Company’s manufacturer franchise rights was $4.5 million at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, and is included in Other Assets on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Company has determined that manufacturer franchise rights have an indefinite life as there are no economic or other factors that limit their useful lives and they are expected to generate cash flows indefinitely due to the historically long lives of the manufacturers’ brand names. Furthermore, to the extent that any agreements evidencing manufacturer franchise rights have expiration dates, the Company expects that it will be able to renew those agreements in the ordinary course of business. Due to the fact that manufacturer franchise rights are specific to geographic region, the Company has determined that the geographic region is the appropriate level for purposes of testing franchise rights for impairment. The Company does not amortize manufacturer franchise rights. Management reviews indefinite lived manufacturer franchise rights for impairment annually during the fourth quarter, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that impairment may have occurred. The Company is subject to financial statement risk to the extent that manufacturer franchise rights become impaired due to decreases in fair market value of its individual franchises. The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of manufacturer franchise rights are estimated future cash flows, present value discount rate, and other factors. Any changes in these estimates or assumptions could result in an impairment charge. The estimates of future cash flows, based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections, require management’s subjective judgment. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the estimated future cash flows projected in the evaluations of manufacturer franchise rights can vary within a range of outcomes. No impairment write down was required in the fourth quarter of 2013. However, the Company cannot predict the occurrence of certain events that might adversely affect the reported value of manufacturer franchise rights in the future.

Note 2 - Other Assets

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]

2 – Other Assets

The total capitalized costs of the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system of $39.8 million, including capitalized interest, are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet in Other Assets, net of accumulated amortization of $7.9 million. The SAP software is being amortized over a period of 15 years. The Company is currently operating 55 Rush Truck Centers and most of its leasing operations on the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system, which represent approximately 60% of total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2014. The Company plans to convert all of its locations to the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system by the end of the second quarter of 2015.

Amortization expense relating to the SAP software, which is recognized in depreciation and amortization expense in the Consolidated Statement of Income, was $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014, and $0.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. The Company estimates that amortization expense relating to intangible assets will be approximately $3.3 million for each of the next five succeeding years.

The Company’s only significant identifiable intangible assets, other than goodwill, are rights under franchise agreements with manufacturers. The fair value of the franchise right is determined at the acquisition date by discounting the projected cash flows specific to each acquisition. The carrying value of the Company’s manufacturer franchise rights was $4.5 million at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, and is included in Other Assets on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Company has determined that manufacturer franchise rights have an indefinite life as there are no economic or other factors that limit their useful lives and they are expected to generate cash flows indefinitely due to the historically long lives of the manufacturers’ brand names. Furthermore, to the extent that any agreements evidencing manufacturer franchise rights have expiration dates, the Company expects that it will be able to renew those agreements in the ordinary course of business. Due to the fact that manufacturer franchise rights are specific to geographic region, the Company has determined that the geographic region is the appropriate level for purposes of testing franchise rights for impairment. The Company does not amortize manufacturer franchise rights.

Management reviews indefinite lived manufacturer franchise rights for impairment annually during the fourth quarter, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that impairment may have occurred. The Company is subject to financial statement risk to the extent that manufacturer franchise rights become impaired due to decreases in fair market value of its individual franchises.

The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of manufacturer franchise rights are estimated future cash flows, present value discount rate, and other factors. Any changes in these estimates or assumptions could result in an impairment charge. The estimates of future cash flows, based on reasonable and supportable assumptions and projections, require management’s subjective judgment. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, the estimated future cash flows projected in the evaluations of manufacturer franchise rights can vary within a range of outcomes.

No impairment write down was required in the fourth quarter of 2013. However, the Company cannot predict the occurrence of certain events that might adversely affect the reported value of manufacturer franchise rights in the future.