XML 78 R17.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.8

Related Parties | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transactions [Abstract] |
Related Parties |
8. | Related Parties
Certain of Sonic’s dealerships purchase the zMAX micro-lubricant from Oil-Chem Research Company (“Oil-Chem”), a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (“SMI”), whose Chairman and Chief Executive Officer is O. Bruton Smith, also Sonic’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, for resale to Fixed Operations customers of Sonic’s dealerships in the ordinary course of business. Total purchases from Oil-Chem by Sonic dealerships were approximately $2.0 million in both of the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, and $1.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2011. Sonic participates in various aircraft-related transactions with Sonic Financial Corporation (“SFC”), an entity controlled by Mr. O. Bruton Smith. Such transactions include, but are not limited to, the use of aircraft owned by SFC for business-related travel by Sonic executives, a management agreement with SFC for storage and maintenance of aircraft leased by Sonic from unrelated third parties, and use of Sonic’s aircraft for business-related travel by certain affiliates of SFC. Sonic incurred net expenses of approximately $0.9 million, $0.9 million and $0.6 million in the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, in aircraft-related transactions with related parties. Sonic’s dealerships sold new and used vehicles to various SMI subsidiaries totaling approximately $0.1 million, $0.2 million and $0.3 million in the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Sonic purchased merchandise from SMI Properties, a subsidiary of SMI, totaling approximately $0.7 million, $0.6 million and $0.6 million in the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Through August 15, 2011, Sonic leased office space for a majority of its headquarters personnel in Charlotte, North Carolina, from a subsidiary of SFC. Aggregate rent expense under this lease was approximately $0.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2011.

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for related party transactions. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39603-107864 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph b -Article 3A Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph k -Article 4 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39691-107864 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39678-107864 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration