Note 6 - Credit Facilities and Long-Term Debt (Detail) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 19, 2012	Apr. 17, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			$ 800,000,000	$ 650,000,000
Liabilities of Assets Held-for-sale (in Dollars)	8,347,000
Credit Facility, Term				5 years
Number of Financial Institutions				10
Number of Manufacturer Affiliated Finance Companies				4
Debt Covenant, Current Ratio	1.20
Debt Covenant, Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio	1.20
Debt Covenant, Leverage Ratio	5.0
Floor Plan Notes Payable (in Dollars)	13,454,000	[1]			114,760,000
Long-term Debt (in Dollars)	295,058,000
New Vehicle Floor Plan [Member]
Liabilities of Assets Held-for-sale (in Dollars)	1,400,000
Minimum [Member] | Mortgages [Member]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	1.80%
Minimum [Member] | Other [Member]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.00%
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.50%
Maximum [Member] | Mortgages [Member]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.90%
Maximum [Member] | Other [Member]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	9.00%
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.00%
Mortgages [Member]
Total Debt, Fixed Rate, Percent	66.00%
Other [Member]
Long-term Debt (in Dollars)	2,800,000
New Vehicle Floor Plan [Member]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)	575,000,000		575,000,000
Liabilities of Assets Held-for-sale (in Dollars)	6,900,000
Reserve Commitment, Percent	95.00%
Reserve Amount (in Dollars)	15,000,000
Used Vehicle Inventory Financing [Member]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			80,000,000
Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity (in Dollars)			$ 145,000,000

[1] At December 31, 2012, an additional $6.9 million of floor plan notes payable outstanding on our new vehicle floor plan commitment and $1.4 million of floor plan notes payable on vehicles designated as service loaners are recorded as liabilities related to assets held for sale.