Hello again, MPM!
Did you enjoy some Moon Pies & RC Cola during your Thanksgiving feasting?
Earlier you wrote, "The man there said it sounds to him like my starter could be going bad."
Though I'm no expert, I have tinkered around (that's putting it mildly) with automobiles. Here's a possible explanation of what's going on IF it is the starter which is causing the problems you earlier described.
Simply put, the starter is a motor.
It gets its power from the battery.
The ignition switch delivers power from the battery to the starter.
On the starter, there is a thing-a-ma-bob called a solenoid (say "so - luh - noid").
The solenoid, using magnetism inherent in electrical current, causes another little thingy to "jump out" to engage the flywheel of the motor.
(More about the flywheel later.)
If, in the wiring of the connections of the solenoid, something breaks or burns up, then... it's time for another starter!
Alternately, the brushes on starters can be bad.
Brushes?
I only thought that brushes were for long hair!
Yes, Virginia... there are brushes on motors.
Again, simply put, brushes are "conductor(s) used to make electrical contact between a stationary and a moving surface."
If you recall 5th grade science, motors are, in a very simple way, coils of wire wrapped around a spindle which spins inside a permanent magnet which produces much more electricity. The mechanical energy they give off is increased by using wiring.
The mechanical energy that the starter gives off (when the little thingy jumps out) causes your car's engine's flywheel to turn, which in turn, rotates the cam shaft, which cause the pistons to move up&down, and then... well, you get the picture.
Anyway, the long and short of it is this: If the brushes on the starter are worn down, they need to be replaced.
How to do that?
Use a local starter rebuilder. They're often found with the same folks that sell... ta da! Batteries!
Hint: Starters can (and in my opinion, should) be rebuilt by reputable local craftsmen.
Sometimes, the rebuilders can and will remove the starter from your vehicle. However, be aware that the cost of their labor to do that (and re-install it) will be added to the bill.
A word to the wise: "The laborer is worthy of his hire." (1 Tim 5:18)
Personal note of caution: I stopped buying auto parts from AutoZone MANY years ago (at least 10), because of their inferior quality. What good's a "lifetime warranty" if you're constantly having to replace the dog-gone thing every six weeks or two months?
Remember... the bitter taste of inferior quality remains long after the sweet taste of low price is gone.
Quality is ALWAYS the best buy.
Asking what discounts are available, and what products have the same quality with a lower price will often get positive results you never considered!
Finally, remember that no matter what good anyone says about positive experiences they've had, there will ALWAYS be someone who will say the opposite. We live in a fallen world, and people are NOT perfect, neither are their circumstances, nor is anything here in this fleeting life perfect.
The common bond? Look where faith lives.
Because, where you find faith, you'll most likely find love, and where there is love, there is hope, and where there is hope, there is forgiveness, and where there is forgiveness, there is grace, and where there is grace, there is mercy, and where there is mercy, there is truth.
Now... THAT's a place where everyone wants to live, eh?
