Thanks guys, this gives me something to stew on.
Impala, you mentioned the blue boots and you didn't know any better, is there something wrong with colored boots?
Not really anything wrong I guess, although at least for my swingaxle car the EMPI colored numbers didn't seal well. I now only use OEM VW (when I can find them) or the FEBI/Bilstein German units (they are marked "Volkswagen" so maybe even their molds were the OEM units). Those seem to last. The anti bling thing also seems to set in as you grow older...;-)