Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Restricted Stock Units	Carvana Group	Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Class A Common Stock Restricted Stock Units	Preferred Stock Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Common Stock Class A Common Stock	Common Stock Class A Common Stock Restricted Stock Units	Common Stock Class B Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital Carvana Group	Additional Paid-in Capital Class A Convertible Preferred Stock	Accumulated Deficit	Non-controlling Interests
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017						100,000	18,096,000		114,664,000
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	(52,672)												(7,043)	(45,629)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	(1,380)			$ 1,400		$ 1,380						$ (1,380)
Preferred dividends	(1,345)									(1,345)
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)							1,436,000		(1,341,000)
Exchanges of LLC Units							$ 2		$ (2)	1,540				(1,540)
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group			$ 7,484								$ 7,484
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis in Carvana Group			(7,484)								(7,484)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)							(20,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(160)									(160)
Options exercised (in shares)							4,000
Options exercised	63									63
Equity-based compensation expense	1,510									1,510
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018						100,000	19,516,000		113,323,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Mar. 31, 2018	226,940					$ 98,507	$ 20		$ 113	41,603			(19,942)	106,639
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018						0	41,208,000		104,336,000
Stockholders' Equity, beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2018	227,428					$ 0	$ 41		$ 104	147,916			(74,653)	154,020
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(82,596)												(28,549)	(54,047)
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on Class A convertible Preferred Stock	0
Exchanges of LLC Units (in shares)							2,020,000		(1,984,000)
Exchanges of LLC Units							$ 2		$ (2)	1,899				(1,899)
Establishment of deferred tax assets related to increases in tax basis in Carvana Group			25,582								25,582
Establishment of valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets associated with increases in tax basis in Carvana Group			$ (25,582)								$ (25,582)
Contribution of Class A common stock from related party (in shares)							(72,000)
Issuance of Class A common stock to settle vested restricted stock units (in shares)		100,000			100,000			74,000
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes (in shares)							(14,000)
Forfeitures of restricted stock and restricted stock surrendered in lieu of withholding taxes	(433)									(433)
Options exercised (in shares)							27,000
Options exercised	426									426
Equity-based compensation expense	8,022									8,022
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019						0	43,243,000		102,352,000
Stockholders' Equity, end of the period at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 152,847					$ 0	$ 43		$ 102	$ 157,830			$ (103,202)	$ 98,074