Rockhopper-
If he is interested in vise that he will never have to replace but he does not want to spend over $100, then I would have him take a look at the Dyna-King Kingfisher.

The Kingfisher comes with the best jaws in the Industry but given that the Kingfisher is a stripped down simplified version of its more expensive brothers it is only $100 (give or take $10). Lifetime warranty included.

Anything cheaper will have to be replaced at one point or another. I would direct him towards the ole standby (Thompson A-Vise)...they were only $40 and held up great but Thompson went out of business this past year so not only are the vises hard to find but warranty work down the road will be more or less impossible to come by.