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Capital Structure and Per Share Data - Dilutive Effect on Earnings Per Share (Parenthetical) (Detail) | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
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Schedule Of Earnings Per Share [Line Items] |  |  |
Stated interest rate on debt agreement | 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage |  |
5.0% Convertible Senior Notes [Member] |  |  |
Schedule Of Earnings Per Share [Line Items] |  |  |
Stated interest rate on debt agreement | 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = sah_FivePointZeroPercentConvertibleSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyNineMember | 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = sah_FivePointZeroPercentConvertibleSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyNineMember | 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = sah_FivePointZeroPercentConvertibleSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyNineMember

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- Definition Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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