Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Sales revenue	$ 2,699,360	$ 2,071,988	$ 1,728,629
Cost of revenue	2,241,822	1,702,129	1,401,576
Gross profit	457,538	369,859	327,053
Asset impairment	1,376	15,301	7,972
Selling, general and administrative	327,545	290,833	266,388
Operating income	111,991	46,571	34,907
Floor plan interest expense	(10,584)	(10,325)	(10,704)
Other interest expense	(12,928)	(14,545)	(13,925)
Other income, net	696	419	1,486
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	89,175	22,120	11,764
Income tax provision	(33,408)	(8,589)	(5,042)
Income from continuing operations, net of income tax	55,767	13,531	6,722
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax	3,093	188	2,429
Net income	58,860	13,719	9,151
Basic income per share from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	$ 2.13	$ 0.52	$ 0.31
Basic income per share from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ 0.01	$ 0.11
Basic net income per share (in Dollars per share)	$ 2.24	$ 0.53	$ 0.42
Shares used in basic per share calculations (in Shares)	26,230	26,062	22,037
Diluted income per share from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	$ 2.09	$ 0.51	$ 0.30
Diluted income per share from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.12	$ 0.01	$ 0.11
Diluted net income per share (in Dollars per share)	$ 2.21	$ 0.52	$ 0.41
Shares used in diluted per share calculations (in Shares)	26,664	26,279	22,176
Segment, Continuing Operations [Member]
Depreciation and amortization	16,626	17,154	17,786
New Vehicle [Member]
Sales revenue	1,426,888	1,038,321	857,096
Cost of revenue	1,316,413	953,186	784,801
Used Retail Vehicle [Member]
Sales revenue	695,796	566,803	465,001
Cost of revenue	595,178	486,739	399,486
Used Wholesale Vehicle [Member]
Sales revenue	130,720	105,714	70,699
Cost of revenue	130,167	105,070	70,228
Finance and Insurance [Member]
Sales revenue	85,852	65,274	54,953
Service, Body and Parts [Member]
Sales revenue	325,658	284,170	278,336
Cost of revenue	168,538	147,119	145,836
Fleet and Other [Member]
Sales revenue	34,446	11,706	2,544
Cost of revenue	$ 31,526	$ 10,015	$ 1,225