This is standard!
If you lower a car using only springs, your making your shocks do a lot more work, this results in them lasting a lot less.
OEM shocks are designed to work with OEM springs, change the springs for lower ones your OEM shocks have to work a lot harder and hence the failure.
Generally its a bad idea to change only springs on a car due to such reasons, the other being handling generally as normally shocks and springs are tuned to work together.
It same on Porsche, some guys lower them using just springs, then 2000 miles later, the shocks are ruined.
This was a replacement hub I bought as my original one cracked where the ball joint sat dude, so it wasn't bent whilst on my car
Just fitted it to notice it was twisted. EDIT if you're on about good practise to use new shocks/uprated shocks, of course I agree but to get my car lowered as it was with the springs, camber stuff, caster increase polybushes, fast road setup and labour was £750, couldn't afford shocks too.
Hub number 3 and ball joint number 3 now fitted and it's driving lovely once again
Now I've mastered the clutch and heavy steering after blasting around in a Punto! lol.
Andrew your FN2 is looking awesome now!
EDIT: I run Shell Helix Ultra 5w/40 in my EP3 now, used to use Fuchs Titan Pro S then tried the Supersyn stuff to save cash.
The car
1) uses less oil running the shell stuff
2) has much cleaner oil over time when I check it!
3) makes the engine a LOT quieter!!!
Give it a go