Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity / Members' Deficit (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Restricted Stock Units	Carvana Group	Class A	Class A Restricted Stock Units	Car360	Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Members' Deficit	Preferred Stock Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Common Stock Class A	Common Stock Class A Restricted Stock Units	Common Stock Class B	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital Carvana Group	Additional Paid-in Capital Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Accumulated Deficit	Non-controlling Interests	Non-controlling Interests Car360	Non-controlling Interests Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Follow-On Public Offering	Follow-On Public Offering Common Stock Class A	Follow-On Public Offering Additional Paid-in Capital	Follow-On Public Offering Non-controlling Interests
Members' Deficit, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2016								$ (115,961)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss prior to Organizational Transactions	$ (117,078)
Net loss subsequent to Organizational Transactions	(117,078)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible preferred stock	0
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2017										15,513		117,236
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Sep. 30, 2017	227,476									$ 16		$ 117	$ 35,447			$ (7,419)	$ 199,315
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017									100	18,096		114,664
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2017	279,544								$ 97,127	$ 18		$ 115	41,375			(12,899)	153,808
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss prior to Organizational Transactions	(168,341)															(33,050)	(135,291)
Conversion of Class C Redeemable Preferred Units for Class A Units									(73,880)	4			73,876
Issuance, net of underwriters' discounts and commissions and offering expenses, value																				$ 172,287	$ 7	$ 172,280
Issuance, net of underwriters' discounts and commissions and offering expenses (in shares)		200			200						162										6,600
Net loss subsequent to Organizational Transactions	(168,341)															(33,050)	(135,291)
Adjustments to non-controlling interests										9		$ (9)	13,203		$ (51,289)		(13,203)	$ 1,297	$ 51,289			(132,375)	$ 132,375
Conversion of Class A Convertible Preferred Stock									$ (73,880)	$ 4			73,876
Conversions of Class A Convertible Preferred Stock (in shares)				3,800			75		75	3,808
Issuance of restricted stock awards, net of forfeitures						$ 9,981												9,981
Restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(1,376)												(1,376)
Restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)										(64)
Equity-based compensation expense	17,981												17,981
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible preferred stock	(1,380)						$ 1,380								(1,380)
Dividends on Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	(3,950)												(3,950)
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)										9,783		(8,851)
Exchanges of LLC Units										$ 9		$ (9)	13,203		$ (51,289)		(13,203)	$ 1,297	$ 51,289			$ (132,375)	$ 132,375
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group			$ 73,961											$ 73,961
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis in Carvana Group			$ (73,961)											$ (73,961)
Contribution of Class A common stock from related party (in shares)										(165)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(1,376)												(1,376)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)										(64)
Options exercised	642												642
Options exercised (in shares)										49
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018									25	38,269		105,813
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 306,768								$ 24,627	$ 38		$ 106	$ 130,284			$ (45,949)	$ 197,662