jm,
i know you posted a year ago; sorry, i was overseas and incommunicado..
i would be interested in finding out how you solved the anamoly.. usually when the starter 'whirrs', it's just a bendix going bad, but the 'driving down the highway and dies' routine sounded like a grounding issue..
what did it end up being? do you still have the forenza?
hope it was something simple; like the positive battery cable loose and corroded, or the IAC or MAF/MAP disconnected or chaffed wire shutting of
signal to the ECU/ECM.. let me know; my daughter has an 06 Forenza, it'll be nice to know what i'm in for..