'96 Saturn SC2 Has The Blues?

My car stopped starting reliably last winter. Since my driveway is on a hill and I have a clutch, I’d roll back and pop the clutch to start it (or just make the kids push - it builds character, right?). I finally broke down and put a new battery in it about a month ago. It still occasionally won’t start. It seems worse if the weather is chilly. When it fails to start, the engine will turn over a few times, slower and slower each time, and then die. If I turn the key again right away, nothing - just the “click.” If I wait about 2 minutes, it roars to life like nothing ever happened. Doesn’t seem like an alternator problem, and I’m stumped about what else it could be. I’d appreciate some advice - thanks!

Oh, yeah, and it’s green.

When it’s running, stop in at your local auto parts store and have the battery and the charging system tested.

You say it “doesn’t seem like an alternator problem . . ,” but it could be. Test it and find out for sure.

I’d also wonder about the cleanliness and tightness of the battery cable connections, at both ends.