Sonic Automotive, Inc. Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Cover
- Cover
Financial Statements
Notes to Financial Statements
Accounting Policies
- Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
Notes Tables
Notes Details

Long-Term Debt - Notes Narrative (Details)

v3.19.3.a.u2

Long-Term Debt - Notes Narrative (Details) - USD ($)		12 Months Ended
Long-Term Debt - Notes Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	Mar. 10, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 27, 2017	May 09, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on Debt Redemption 5 Percent Notes		$ 6,700,000
Outstanding mortgage principal balance		714,968,000		$ 956,017,000
Double Carry Interest		$ (500,000)	$ 700,000
Mortgage notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt weighted average interest rate on note		4.36%
Outstanding mortgage principal balance		$ 355,900,000
6.125% Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt agreement	6.125%	6.125%		6.125%
Principal amount	$ 250,000,000.0
Notes issued at a price of principal amount	100.00%
Redemption Price		106.125%
Notes redemption price percentage of the par value due to change of control	101.00%
Debt instrument maximum allowed dividends per share (usd per share)	$ 0.12
Outstanding principal amount of the 6.125% notes	25.00%
6.125% Notes \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes redemption price percentage of the principal amount		35.00%
6.125% Notes \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Indebtedness with outstanding balance under other agreements		$ 50,000,000.0
7.0% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt agreement					7.00%
5.0% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt agreement						5.00%
Principal amount						$ 300,000,000.0
Outstanding notes repurchased amount		289,300,000	10,700,000
Repurchase amount paid in cash, plus accrued and unpaid interest related thereto		$ 295,900,000	$ 10,600,000
2019 Mortgage Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption Price		1.667%

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Maximum amount per share the entity may pay as quarterly cash dividends on common stock as permitted by the indenture governing the entity's debt obligation.

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Percentage of the outstanding principal amount of the entity's debt obligation that holders may accelerate if certain events of default occur.

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Double Carry Interest

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Loss on Debt Redemption 5 Percent Notes

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The aggregate amount to be paid by the entity upon a "change of control" as defined in the indenture, expressed as a percentage of the par value of the debt obligation.

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Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

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Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

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