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Property and Equipment - Components of Property and Equipment, Net (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
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Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total, at cost | $ 1,155,682 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross | $ 1,115,936 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Less accumulated depreciation | (332,543)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment | (316,617)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Property and equipment, net | 823,139 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet | 799,319 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Land [Member] |  |
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total, at cost | 232,812 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_LandMember | 224,124 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_LandMember
Building and Improvements [Member] |  |
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total, at cost | 627,372 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_BuildingImprovementsMember | 582,261 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_BuildingImprovementsMember
Office Equipment and Fixtures [Member] |  |
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total, at cost | 164,731 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember | 151,165 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_OfficeEquipmentMember
Parts and Service Equipment [Member] |  |
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total, at cost | 71,774 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = sah_PartsAndServiceEquipmentMember | 68,248 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = sah_PartsAndServiceEquipmentMember
Company Vehicles [Member] |  |
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total, at cost | 8,969 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_VehiclesMember | 8,958 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_VehiclesMember
Construction in Progress [Member] |  |
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total, at cost | $ 50,024 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember | $ 81,180 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember

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- Definition Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 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 210.5-02.14) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 14 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 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 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 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 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph a -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 8 -Article 7 + Details
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