The other thing the article doesn't mention is that the average driver will never really notice the difference between a "good" aftermarket shock and a factory shock. Most people just don't understand what a "good" suspension feels like because they've never ridden in a car with one, so anything that is stiffer is understood to be "better".
Then with coilovers, the average Joe has no idea how to properly tune them and will never even get them corner weighted. If you have a finely tuned sniper rifle, but you don't know how to dial in the scope, you still won't hit anything. A lot of coilovers have very stiff rates, not always good in the real world where roads have expansion joints and some pretty nasty irregularities sometimes. I've witnessed stiff coilovers cause accidents while driving on the mountain backroads. The road was too bumpy for the stiff coilover to keep the tire in constant contact with the road, car bounced into a guardrail.
Then cost is a consideration. Cheaper really sucks in the world of coilovers. I've seen many dyno tests by reputable shops on forums and not a single shock from the same box will dyno nearly the same. Plus, the adjustment knob doesn't produce the same curve from shock to shock. 8 turns on one shock, may be 10 on another shock. And its not always linear as you turn the knob. From shock dyno's I've seen, the curve (as you turn the adjusting knob) gets radically stiffer the more you turn it. So 1 turn on the soft side, could be like 2-3 turns the closer you get to full stiff.
Cliffs notes: Average driver on normal roads will be satisfied with springs and good shocks (Koni/Bilstein). If you insist on coilovers, don't go cheap and pay a reputable shop to set them up properly so you get the most for your money. Then LEAVE IT ALONE!
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