XML 18 R33.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.8

Business Acquisitions and Dispositions - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2014 Franchise Dealerships
Business Combinations [Abstract] |
Purchase price for franchise operations and underlying assets, including real estate, acquired | $ 2,573,000
Number of luxury franchises | 1
Number of luxury franchises disposed | 1
Cash generated from disposition | $ 1,900,000
Number of dealerships held for sale | 0

X
- Definition Held for sale dealerships number. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | sah_HeldForSaleDealershipsNumber
Namespace Prefix: | sah_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of luxury franchises disposed. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | sah_NumberOfLuxuryFranchisesDisposed
Namespace Prefix: | sah_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Definition The number of businesses acquired by the entity during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of a business, net of the cash acquired from the purchase. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration