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Business Acquisitions and Dispositions - Revenues and Other Activities Associated with Dealerships Classified as Discontinued 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 | $ (335)us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOperatingIncomeLoss | $ (588)us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOperatingIncomeLoss
Gain (loss) on disposal |  | (45)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax
Lease exit accrual adjustments and charges | (356)sah_DiscontinuedOperationLeaseExitAccrualAdjustmentsAndCharges | (332)sah_DiscontinuedOperationLeaseExitAccrualAdjustmentsAndCharges
Pre-tax income (loss) | $ (691)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationIncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax | $ (965)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationIncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax

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- Definition Discontinued operation lease exit accrual adjustments and charges. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss), before tax expense or benefit and not previously recognized, resulting from the sale of a business component. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e957-107759 Reference 2: 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 + Details
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- Definition Overall income (loss) from a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity, before income tax, reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items. Includes the following (before income tax): income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -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 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e957-107759 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 13 -Article 7 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 05 -Paragraph 15 -Article 3 + Details
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- Definition Amount of operating income or loss attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), during the reporting period. + 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 (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760 + Details
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