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?
Both shocks and struts help smooth out your vehicles ride, but only struts are integral parts of the suspension without which you could not drive the car at all. Struts usually have the spring attached to them. Shocks may be attached to the spring (in what's known as a coilover shock) or separate from the spring.