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More details are rolling in about a new car lot coming to Spotsylvania County.

CarMax Inc., which bills itself as the nation's largest retailer of used cars, plans to open a 50,000-square-foot superstore in Southpoint II next fall. The Timmons Group filed an application on Sept. 9 to build the store, but few details were released.

The company chose the Massaponax retail development because it is a booming area with easy access to Interstate 95, spokeswoman Trina Lee said this week.

CarMax plans to buy about 15 acres that back up to Ballentraye subdivision. Purchasing land and building a superstore typically costs the company between $15 million and $20 million, she said.

The Fredericksburg superstore will employee 100 to 125 people, and will have up to 500 cars on its lot. Customers will have the option of searching the company's online database of 20,000 used cars and having their choice shipped to the store for a fee.

CarMax, formerly a division of Circuit City, got its start in 1991 with a survey of what consumers did--and did not--like about buying a used vehicle.

"They had little to say about what they liked, but a lot to say about what they didn't like," Lee said. "They wanted it to be a fun process."

CarMax officials decided to sell vehicles for a flat, non-negotiable price, and give customers five days to bring them back for a full refund if they were dissatisfied. Two years later, the first CarMax store opened in Richmond.

Today, the company continues to focus on selling used cars, but has added seven new-car franchises. These are part of, or are located next to, its used-car stores.

The Massaponax superstore will sell only used vehicles. Most will be six years old or newer and have low mileage. About half will be bought at auto auctions; the rest will be purchased from CarMax customers. All will be inspected, and many will still be under warranty. Extended warranties will be available.

CarMax currently has 67 stores. The Massaponax store is one of five superstores and six smaller satellite superstores that it plans to open during its next fiscal year, which ends Feb. 28, 2007. The company also plans to open a satellite site in Charlottesville.

CarMax is the latest store to join Southpoint II, a Spotsylvania retail complex under development along U.S. 1 by W.J. Vakos & Co. The complex also includes a Wal-Mart Supercenter, Lowe's, Starbucks and Applebee's.