Shocks Problem...help!!!

[M26]

If you guys recall, i took my car to the dealer due to some VERY loud noise that has been comming from the rear shocks. At first i thought it was the shock mouts that needed to be replaced, but after further inspection by the body shop, it turned out that the shock tower(the dome looking thing where the top of the shocks fit) has cracked all around!!! the only explaination i have is the shitty DC roads! but then again, how come this only happend to me? technician said that it's the first time he sees it on an E36 M3. He said he came across alot of E30 M3 that had that problem, but not E36.
He suggested welding a new tower piece, then instaling 328 shocks(both sides), since they're softer, but i would loose the M3 feel, but i refused. He said he can put the M3 shocks, but the problem might\will occure after sometime in the future(30k miles or so). It will cost $900 to repair, not an issue as long as i have my car back to normal.

Has anyone had this problem before? what do u guys suggest?

thanks again!

///Marwan

[Jeff P]

What year is your M? I have never heard of the towers cracking..

[M26]

It's a '97 M3, it's very rare that such thing would happen, guess i'm unlucky!