The $20 is worth it in my opinion. I used it to select the last Volvo I purchased and also ran it on the other cars I own. Some postings in response have mentioned data the report holds. It also tells you of PASS/FAIL emissions tests, if that makes a difference to you. My understanding is that not all accidents will appear in the report. I'm told it depends on whether the value of damages exceeds a certain threshold, and that may be an individual state criteria. I also used the report as a sales gimmick when I recently sold two cars. I showed prospective buyers the CARFAX report and urged them to look it up themselves. In my area (eastern NC), flood cars may be a problem. For the above mentioned Volvo, I purchased it from a pre-owned Volvo dealer that was very up front about CARFAX and its advantages to dealer and buyer. That certainly created an aura of trust surrounding our negotiations. When you're spending significant money, $20 is negligible. Good Luck!

Michael ('90 760GLT, '83 245GLT, '83 240DL, '92 240DL)