His car is completley stock. It was easy to push a year ago, now it is damn hard. Maybe he needs a new clutch?

 

My '01 is much stiffer than our '00. I'm sure it is a lubrication problem since I can hear a "creaking sound" when the engine is off and you press it slow. Search on clutch squeek or sometning like that and you see that some have had success lubricating the clutch spring. IMO it should be warranty, but it doesn't bother me enough to 'down' the car for them to do it. Maybe when I get the side window fixed...