Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Long-Term Debt - Financial Covenants Include Required Specified Ratios (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Long-Term Debt - Financial Covenants Include Required Specified Ratios (Detail)
Mar. 31, 2015
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]  
Minimum consolidated liquidity ratio 121.00%sah_MinimumConsolidatedLiquidityRatio
Minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio 164.00%sah_MinimumConsolidatedFixedChargeCoverageRatio
Maximum consolidated total lease adjusted leverage ratio 416.00%sah_MaximumConsolidatedAggregateLeaseAdjustedLeverageRatio
Required Ratio [Member]  
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]  
Minimum consolidated liquidity ratio 105.00%sah_MinimumConsolidatedLiquidityRatio
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= sah_RequiredRatioMember
Minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio 120.00%sah_MinimumConsolidatedFixedChargeCoverageRatio
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= sah_RequiredRatioMember
Maximum consolidated total lease adjusted leverage ratio 550.00%sah_MaximumConsolidatedAggregateLeaseAdjustedLeverageRatio
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= sah_RequiredRatioMember