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Business Acquisitions and Dispositions - Revenues and Other Activities Associated with Disposed Dealerships That Remain in Continued Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract] |  |
Income (loss) from operations | $ 252 sah_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationOperatingIncomeLoss | $ (513)sah_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationOperatingIncomeLoss
Gain (loss) on disposal | (102)us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal | 363 us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal
Pre-tax income (loss) | 150 sah_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationIncomeLossBeforeIncomeTax | (150)sah_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationIncomeLossBeforeIncomeTax
Total revenues |  | $ 72,449 sah_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationRevenue

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- Definition Disposal group not discontinued operation income loss before income tax. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Disposal group not discontinued operation operating income loss. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Disposal group not discontinued operation revenue. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Details
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- Definition The gain (loss) resulting from the sale of a disposal group that is not a discontinued operation. It is included in income from continuing operations before income taxes in the income statement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8077374&loc=d3e2443-110228 + Details
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