I have a friend with an eg and out of nowhere when he tried to start the car it was as if the battery died. after jumping the car and letting it run we shut it off and tried to start it and once again it was dead. We are pretty sure that means a bad alternator but if someone else thinks its something different let me know. thanks

 

so now the car starts fine as if nothing happened so im guessing its some kind of wiring problem or a bad ground? the grounds for the battery and motor are good though...

 

Possible bad starter safety switch at the top of the clutch pedal or a bad ignition switch.

 

i dont think its the starter because when it wouldnt start the car had no power to anything. how do i check the clutch switch and ignition switch?

 

No dash warning lights in ON(II)?

No head lights?

 

and when we jumped it the lights would flicker and stuff thats when we shut it off and tried to start it and it was dead. so i dont know if it would be a switch or a starter

 

no nothing and then when the headlight switch was on and it wouldnt start they popped on randomly and the car started fine after that

 

Okay, check whether the battery ground wire attached to the engine bay is loose or corroded.

 

i checked and everything looks good no loose wires. the ground looks good

 

Connections can "look good" but still be bad. You can't see electricity so you need a meter to diagnose electrical problems.

When the car is dead, turn the headlight switch on (to establish a load on the system) and measure voltages. Start by testing directly at the battery posts to make sure it's not the battery itself (they can get intermittent connections inside). Then test across every connection, for example from the post to the terminal, or from the ground wire to the engine. It should be close to zero volts. If you have a voltage across a connection, that connection is bad.