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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Basis of Presentation | Basis of Presentation – The accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the first quarters ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect, in the opinion of management, all material normal recurring adjustments necessary to fairly state the financial position and the results of operations for the periods presented. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire fiscal year, because the first quarter normally contributes less operating profit than the second, third and fourth quarters. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements of Sonic Automotive, Inc. (“Sonic” or the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2013, which were included in Sonic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements | Recent Accounting Pronouncements – In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standard update that amended the reporting requirements for discontinued operations. The amendments in this accounting standard update raise the threshold for a disposal to qualify as a discontinued operation and require new disclosures of both discontinued operations and certain other disposals that do not meet the definition of a discontinued operation. This accounting standard update is effective for interim and annual filings beginning with the quarter ending March 31, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. Sonic expects that the adoption of this accounting standard update will impact the presentation of certain items in its consolidated financial position, results of operations and other disclosures.
Principles of Consolidation | Principles of Consolidation - All of Sonic’s dealership and non-dealership subsidiaries are wholly owned and consolidated in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements except for one fifty-percent owned dealership that is accounted for under the equity method. All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Lease Exit Accruals | Lease Exit Accruals – Lease exit accruals relate to facilities Sonic has ceased using in its operations. The accruals represent the present value of the lease payments, net of estimated or actual sublease proceeds, for the remaining life of the operating leases and other accruals necessary to satisfy the lease commitment to the landlord. These situations could include the relocation of an existing facility or the sale of a dealership whereby the buyer will not be subleasing the property for either the remaining term of the lease or for an amount of rent equal to Sonic’s obligation under the lease. Please see Note 12, “Commitments and Contingencies,” to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Sonic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 for further discussion. A summary of the activity of these operating lease exit accruals consists of the following:
|  | (In thousands) |
Balance, December 31, 2013 |  | $ | 27,234 |
Lease exit expense (1) |  |  | 421 |
Payments (2) |  |  | (2,021 | )
Balance, March 31, 2014 |  | $ | 25,634 |
(1) | Expense of approximately $0.1 million is recorded in interest expense, other, net, and expense of approximately $0.3 million is recorded in income (loss) from operations and the sale of dealerships in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
(2) | Amount is recorded as an offet to rent expense in selling, general and administrative expenses, with approximately $0.2 million in continuing operations and $1.8 million in income (loss) from operations and the sale of dealerships in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
Income Tax Expense | Income Tax Expense – The overall effective tax rate from continuing operations was 38.0% and 39.0% for the first quarters ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Sonic expects the effective tax rate for continuing operations in future periods to fall within a range of 38.0% to 40.0%.

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- Definition Lease exit accruals policy. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for basis of accounting, or basis of presentation, used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS). + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02, 03 -Article 3A Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197480 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 40 -Section 45 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/section&trid=2197723 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196966 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197087 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3A-02) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015204&loc=d3e355033-122828 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16385135&loc=d3e33801-111570 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=d3e5614-111684 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph k -Article 1 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2144681 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2144749 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 19 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32840-109319 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 954 -SubTopic 740 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6491622&loc=d3e9504-115650 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 17 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32809-109319 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 25 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21917399&loc=d3e32247-109318 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21917399&loc=d3e32280-109318 + Details
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