Ok my sister came home from college today and this was the first time she saw my car (Shes got a crappy neon) so she wants to start it up and rev it. Ok she gets in and puts the key in starts it but holds the key down for like a split second and I hear a nice sounding k kk kk kk k kk k....cracking type noise. I was freakin yelling and pissed off, i mean she has a car and knows how to start a car, but I dont think she did it on purpose but shes just a typical girl that dosent know nuttin about cars. So later on I go to start it and i get like 5 - 8 fast chugs then it starts.

Is my starter done???

 

the 'k kk kk kk kk k'...does it sound more like an electrical wire shorting across (snaping sound) or like a starter grinding on the flywheel/flexplate?

 

Sounds like a starter grinding on the flywheel/flexplate

 

You may want to put the car up on a lift or jack stands and look at the starter...I just had a similar experience and my starter had cracked completely across the two mounting bolt holes. I guess 9 years was enough...good luck..
--Alan