My take is that, as was said, if you don't see puckering, you are mainly dealing with cosmetic issues. I actually had my liner fail 10 days after it was installed in my new (then) pool! But that was a seam failure. As for ugly? Well, the guys who installed the replacement didn't know how to do a sand bottom properly and I've had footprints in the bottom of my pool that REALLY show up at night when the lights are on for 10 years now. Part of me wants the liner to fail so I can do a complete overhaul on the pool, but part wants to get another 5 years or so out of the liner.

But it's like that first ding on your new car...it's never the same!

(as a useless aside, mine came as I watched an elderly lady turn into my still new car. She then tried to offer me forty bucks for what turned out be about $500. When I asked for her proof of insurance she handed me her Medicare card. Then when the police sergeant came to make the report, it turned out she was his lieutenant's mother-in-law! I was worried until he said he was going to razz the LT like crazy about this...The car was fixed and it's still a great car.)