A book or story that is currently contemporary would be aware that Bush is president, that people are dying in a war in Iraq that has been going on for some time and that American Idol is influencing music being played on CD's or by downloads.
But just how long can your expect these tailbone-saving gadgets to last? The short answer? Experts recommend replacing shocks every 50,000 miles (80,467 kilometers), but a great deal depends on how you treat your vehicle's suspension. Are you logging all those miles on the placid interstate, or are you off-roading on winding dirt roads through the untamed wild?
There are a lot of people would would just say to replace shocks/struts at certain intervals. I.e. a Merchants shop would probably tell you to replace them every 60-80K miles or so just on principle. As such, they'd tell you that at 110K you're overdue regardless of anything else (like leaking or handling...)