They are junk, and they are like glass. They barely hold stock power vehicles. If he gets on SVTperformance, there is TONS of info regarding the junk manuals that came in those cars. If he is dead set on keeping it manual, FIRST mod should be a shifter. Either a MGW, or a Barton. As far as other mods, CAI, tune, catback, and some nitrous(150ish) and it'll fly and hurt a lot of feelings.