Test driving for a few days a 1997 850 manual transmission car that's just been serviced, put into running condition after approximately 2 year hiatus. Car has 97,000 miles on the odometer.

The problem is that, sometimes, after driving the car for awhile, then leaving it parked for about thirty or so minutes, the first several attempts to start the car in either neutral or first gear, door open or shut, fail in the following manner:

1. Key turn results in NO cranking/crank-sounds
2. Dash lights come on, electrical stuff is operable
3. A turn off of key and retry results in a repeat of one and two above, or
4. The alarm goes off, must be reset by locking and unlocking the door with the key - this car does not yet have a programmed fob

Any ideas? Thanks, Chris


--
In the Country of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is King