For the past few months, on a completely random schedule, my car will not start. It acts almost as if I activated the alarm and was trying to start it(you know - everything just goes silent). So at first I thought maybe it was an alarm issue so I would sit out there, lock it, unlock it, open the door, close the door, try again (you know to maybe reset it). And eventually it will start - usually no more than 3 minutes (multiple lock/unlock cycles) later. Now i am beginning to doubt my very limited car diagnostic abilities... does anyone else have any ideas of what could be the problem? battery? starter? something else ive never heard of? thanks all!

also i would like to take the opportunity to complain about air pumps! every single 850/S70 my family owns has had the air pump go. Mine just went (the last of 4!). Im not worried about it right now though, my volvo mechanic said it could wait until i had time, i just have a non-working check engine light now since its always lit... ahhh, damn cars, early 850 transmissions (had one go), condensers (had two go), air pumps (now 4 family wide)..... i am going to die a poor poor man.