Ok, first, I went and searched for "starter", and after the first four pages I didn't come across anyone with the same symptoms I'm having.

About a week ago, my car starts sounding like it's trying to start with a low battery. It turns over a few times really slow and sounds like it's dragging then the engine starts. So I go by Autozone and let them test the battery and the battery tests good. So I figured it was a freak thing and went on about my business.

The next morning it started the exact same way. I got to work ok, and when I got in the car to leave, same thing. Very slow and kind of a dragging sound, but the engine started.

Well, last night it wouldn't turn over at all. No clicking or anything. I even turned on the headlights and tried to start it and the lights (very bright) didn't even dim at all.

So I took off the starter and went back to AZ and the guy there put in on the machine. It ran a series of three tests. The first attempt, the starter didn't even turn at all, and the last two attempts it turned, but it was slower than it should have been and sounded horrible. The machine (of course) printed out a failure report with a bunch of technical readings on it. I went ahead and ordered a new starter anyway, only $100 and a lifetime warranty. I figured even if something else is wrong, the car is 10 years old with 150k miles on it. The guy at AZ (alond with a few other customers and co-workers) told me they all felt very confident it was the starter.

My concern is this, and I'm posting here because there are a bunch of you all here who really know your stuff. If it is the starter that's bad, why was there no clicking noise, nor even the single click of the starter relay (at least, none that I could hear), and why didn't the lights dim any when I tried it start it last night? All the instrument lights etc. came on, but when I turned the key to "start", nothing happened and the lights didn't dim.

Thanks in advance for your help with this.