Note 2 - Other Assets	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements
Other Assets Disclosure [Text Block]	2 –Other Assets The total capitalized costs of the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system of $33.8 million, including capitalized interest, are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet in Other Assets, net of accumulated amortization of $16.0 million. The SAP software is being amortized over a period of 15 years. The Company completed the conversion of all of its Rush Truck Centers and leasing operations to the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system in the third 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 $0.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, $0.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2015, and $2.5 million for both the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and the nine months ended September 30, 2015. The Company estimates that amortization expense relating to the SAP software will be approximately $3.4 million for each of the next five 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 $7.0 million at September 30, 2016, and $7.9 million at December 31, 2015, 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. Accordingly, the Company does not amortize manufacturer franchise rights. Due to the fact that manufacturer franchise rights are specific to geographic region, the Company has determined that evaluating and including all locations acquired in the geographic region is the appropriate level for purposes of testing franchise rights for impairment. Management reviews indefinite-lived manufacturer franchise rights for impairment annually during the fourth quarter, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that an 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 the fair market value of its individual franchises. The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of manufacturer franchise rights include 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 any period presented. The Company cannot predict the occurrence of certain events that might adversely affect the reported value of manufacturer franchise rights in the future.

2 –Other Assets

The total capitalized costs of the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system of $33.8 million, including capitalized interest, are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet in Other Assets, net of accumulated amortization of $16.0 million. The SAP software is being amortized over a period of 15 years. The Company completed the conversion of all of its Rush Truck Centers and leasing operations to the SAP enterprise software and SAP dealership management system in the third 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 $0.9 million

for the three months ended September 30, 2016,

$0.8 million for the three months ended

September 30, 2015, and $2.5 million for both the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and the nine months ended September 30, 2015. The Company estimates that amortization expense relating to the SAP software will be approximately $3.4 million for each of the next five 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 $7.0 million at September 30, 2016, and $7.9 million at December 31, 2015, 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. Accordingly, the Company does

not amortize manufacturer franchise rights.

Due to the fact that manufacturer franchise rights are specific to geographic region, the Company has determined that evaluating and including all locations acquired in the geographic region is the appropriate level for purposes of testing franchise rights for impairment.

Management reviews indefinite-lived manufacturer franchise rights for impairment annually during the fourth quarter, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that an 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 the fair market value of its individual franchises.

The significant estimates and assumptions used by management in assessing the recoverability of manufacturer franchise rights include 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 any period presented. The Company cannot predict the occurrence of certain events that might adversely affect the reported value of manufacturer franchise rights in the future.