The stock shifter will align itself to 3rd automatically, however the stock factory springs are weak compared to an aftermarket shifter. I just put a Steeda on my 99 GT, and it is alot more noticable. With the stock shifter i had actually missed 3rd once or twice, but this Steeda pops it real hard to 3rd. I havent missed yet. It did make downshifting to 2nd and upshifting to 5th harder cause you have to fight the spring, but the advantages in upshifting from 1-2-3-4 outweigh that.
To check, just remove the boot and probably a dust shield bolted to the trans tunnel, and look where the shifter bolts to the trans, the factory shifter will be stamped steel, an aftermarket will be about 1/4" thick aluminum. Also the factory shifter will have rubber between the handle and the shifter base, where as the aftermarket will not.
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