Consolidated Statements of Income Statement - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 3,047,684	$ 3,147,773	$ 8,674,942	$ 9,496,249
Cost of goods sold	1,849,142	1,947,444	5,251,520	5,840,469
Gross margin	1,198,542	1,200,329	3,423,422	3,655,780
Selling, general and administrative expenses	813,893	892,124	2,451,073	2,687,024
Restructuring and acquisition related expenses	20,495	8,929	52,415	20,613
(Gain) Loss On Disposal Of Businesses And Impairment Of Net Assets Held for Sale	(503)	(3,601)	1,733	44,919
Depreciation and amortization	68,655	71,513	199,897	213,349
Operating income	296,002	231,364	718,304	689,875
Other expense (income):
Interest expense, net of interest income	25,182	32,104	76,729	104,077
(Gain) loss on debt extinguishment	0	(128)	12,751	(128)
Other expense (income), net	2,492	(5,939)	(9,304)	(15,523)
Total other expense, net	27,674	26,037	80,176	88,426
Income from continuing operations before provision for income taxes	268,328	205,327	638,128	601,449
Provision for income taxes	78,510	57,747	180,790	165,122
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated subsidiaries	4,113	4,232	1,980	(33,745)
Income from continuing operations	193,931	151,812	459,318	402,582
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	781	(638)	1,179
Net income	193,931	152,593	458,680	403,761
Less: net income (loss) attributable to continuing noncontrolling interest	448	(46)	1,166	2,321
Less: net income attributable to discontinued noncontrolling interest	0	376	103	568
Net income attributable to LKQ stockholders	$ 193,483	$ 152,263	$ 457,411	$ 400,872
Basic earnings per share: (1)
Income from continuing operations	$ 0.64	$ 0.49	$ 1.51	$ 1.29
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0.00	(0.00)	0.00
Net income	0.64	0.50	1.50	1.30
Less: net income (loss) attributable to continuing noncontrolling interest	0.00	(0.00)	0.00	0.01
Less: net income attributable to discontinued noncontrolling interest	0	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net income attributable to LKQ stockholders	0.64	0.50	1.50	1.29
Diluted earnings per share: (1)
Income from continuing operations	0.64	0.49	1.51	1.29
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0.00	(0.00)	0.00
Net income	0.64	0.50	1.50	1.29
Less: net income (loss) attributable to continuing noncontrolling interest	0.00	(0.00)	0.00	0.01
Less: net income attributable to discontinued noncontrolling interest	0	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net income attributable to LKQ stockholders	$ 0.64	$ 0.49	$ 1.50	$ 1.28