I would greatly appreciate the opinions of current above-ground pool owners - this forum is such a wealth of information, and I know if there's something we should know before we sign on a dotted line to buy our pool, the readers here would know!

We are planning to buy an oval above-ground pool this year. We want a *large* pool, and specifically an oval pool for the length of it. (My knees are bad and swimming laps for exercise would be good therapy for me; so the longer the pool, the better.) We are not planning to dig a 'deep end'.

Our front-runner thus far is a Doughboy Desert Spring with a 54" sidewall, 21x41' oval with upgraded "Misty Falls" liner. For $8200, we'd get the pool, the "gold package" (19" Doughboy sand filter and 1.5 HP Doughboy pump, Deluxe Doughboy Thru Wall Skimmer and Return Package, 200 lbs. filter sand, Vacuum head, deluxe vauum pole, deluxe vacuum hose, deluxe leaf rake, Chlorine dispenser, deluxe chemical package, test kit, thermometer, pool care booklet, Doughboy Ultra Vac Automatic Cleaner, deluxe solar cover and deluxe winter cover, and an Aquador), an upgraded huge 'wedding cake' pool ladder/steps, two FAFCO Sunsaver Solar Panels and 2 main/bottom drains. The price above does include sales tax and comes from my local pool store, which has been around forever and a day.

I have yet to call their recommended installer (kudos to all of you who install your own pools, but my husband and I have NO desire to do it ourselves, LOL) but I think the install price (which includes sand, support bricks, etc) will come to around $2000-$2200. The only thing not included is the cost of running the electrical line underground and to code specs.

We chose solar panels, in the hopes that this will give a pool that large a little extra 'oomph' to warm up during a Michigan summer. (Gas heaters are out of the question, given the expense.) If anyone has anything positive or negative to say about the FAFCO Sunsaver solar panels, don't heistate to speak up!

We opted for bottom drains, because the size of the pool has me concerned that we'll need every advantage when it comes to circulating the water to keep it clean. We will be paying to have the pool professionally winetrized (at least for the first year) because we were told that having the bottom drains makes it imperative that we learn to winterize the pool correctly.

Eventually, we hope to build a deck around the pool, but that will have to come later. We'll be doing some additional reading and research, as well as at least two more field trips to other local pool stores...but is there anything about what I've described that jumps out to the experienced pool owners here? I would genuinely appreciate anything you might care to offer in terms of advice!

- Michelle, SE Michigan