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Summary of Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Jun. 30, 2014 Franchise | Dec. 31, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014 Dealerships | Dec. 31, 2013 Dealerships | Dec. 31, 2012 Dealerships
Condensed Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Asset impairment charges | $ 6,400,000 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges | $ 200,000 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges |  | $ 9,900,000 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges |  | $ 6,594,000 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges | $ 9,872,000 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges | $ 950,000 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Charges against to natural damages | 1,000,000 us-gaap_LossFromCatastrophes | 2,000,000 us-gaap_LossFromCatastrophes | 1,000,000 us-gaap_LossFromCatastrophes |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on disposal |  | 3,200,000 us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal | 7,300,000 us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal |  |  | 11,079,000 us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal |  | 10,000 us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal
Number of franchises disposed |  |  | 2 sah_NumberOfFranchisesDisposed |  |  | 9 sah_NumberOfFranchisesDisposed | 0 sah_NumberOfFranchisesDisposed | 12 sah_NumberOfFranchisesDisposed
Charges against legal settlement reserve accrual |  |  | 300,000 us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense |  |  |  |  |
Loss on extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  | 28,200,000 us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt |  | (28,238,000)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt | (19,713,000)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt
Interest on notes | 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage |  |  |  |  | 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage |  |
9% Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Condensed Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Incremental interest incurred charge |  |  |  |  | 800,000 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentIncreaseAccruedInterest / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = sah_NinePercentNotesMember |  |  |
Interest on notes |  |  |  |  | 9.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = sah_NinePercentNotesMember |  |  |
5% Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Condensed Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest on notes |  |  |  |  | 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = sah_FivePercentNoteMember |  |  |
Franchised Dealerships [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Condensed Unaudited Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tax expenses | $ 900,000 us-gaap_OtherTaxExpenseBenefit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = sah_FranchisedDealershipsMember |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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