Chevrolet Repair: 2004 Chevy Cavalier, 2004 chevy cavalier, chevy cavalier

Question
I bought a 2004 Chevy Cavalier a month and a half ago.  It has 32,000 miles on it.  Just last week I came out from the grocery and it would not start.  All the dash lights came on so I assume the battery is hot.  A gentleman came by and used a wire with clips on each end and jumped it off the starter (seen dad do this years ago with a screwdriver).  Drove the care home, turned if off, it would not start.  Next morning it started right up.  It has ran for 10 days and this morning same thing - wouldn't start - this afternoon started fine.  I suspect starter. I took it to a garage 2 days ago
(it was starting fine then
)- they hooked it up to diagnostic machine and saw no problems.  Help!

Answer
Hi Melanie,

Probably a loose wire, maybe a bad connection.  If not, possibly the starter.  The shop said everything checks out and the car started in the parking lot when you jumpered the starter.  To me this rules out theft device.

Take the starter off and have it checked in a shop under load.  Hopefully if it is bad, it will show it there.  That is free and is the quick and easy to narrow down the problem.  

C J S