change shocks at 40,000 km! (?)

["Shahrol Halmi" <alfalist@xxxxxxxxx>]

read an article in the paper yesterday, written by an engineer from Monroe
(the shocks maker) who said that in Australia, people have to change their
shocks at 40,000 km due to wear.  How (un)true is this?  What's the expected
life of a set of dampers on an Alfa, exuberantly driven on smooth tarmac?  I
realise that the Monroe dude probably is just trying to increase sales, but
is there a nugget of truth in his statement?  I have 145,000 k on the
original factory shocks, left rear is leaking a bit..

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