We just took down our 27 foot above ground after 19 seasons. The liner sprung a leak & we decided it was over. Pool was too big now for our needs & we are looking at getting a smaller one to float around in. This was a pool from Namco & not top of the line if I remember correctly. When it was disassemble there was only one rust spot that we already knew about at the inlet area, which could have been fixed. The pool could have lasted another decade or more with a new liner.

They don't build them like they used to. As a kid my father had an above ground pool that was built entirely out of extruded aluminum I beams. I think that pool could have lived through a nuclear holocaust. Now when you buy an above ground pool you are usually going to get anywhere from 5-15 years from it. Pools reaching 20 years would be beating the average. The selection of quality when it comes to above ground pools varies wildly. The less you pay, the cheaper the quality, and the less life you will get from it. In ground pools can not be compared with above ground in terms of longevity. An in ground vinyl pool should easily last 30-40 years. A well built concrete pool can have a service life of up to 50-70 years or more.

I've not heard of in ground vinyl, just concrete. How does that work?