I need some help

If you can help me that would be great and save me ALOT of money! My BF gave me his old car hmm maybe about 3 weeks ago. I drove it for a while just to get me to and from work which is about 12 miles. But one day, when I was trying to start it, it would not start it would sound like it was going to but then all you heard was a spinning noise and it would do it to me a couple of times then start. So I wasn't really worried about it because all it had to do was get me to work plus not alot of money to bring it in to the shop. But the point is it got towed because it wouldnt start. The mechnic dudes so they call themself say they dont know whats wrong with it and that if its not one thing then it could be another. Im not sure the 3 things they said could be wrong with it but they said all in the end if its the last thing they fix it could be almost 2000 to fix which i dont have. So its been sitting in the parking lot at their shop. and i really need my car so i can get to and from work and not have to bring my bf to work early in the morning! If you can help me that would be great! Or if anyone has had this problem with there car it would be great if you could help me out! thank you

Sounds from the description like the Bendix spring in the starter is going bad, or there are some teeth missing off the flywheel.

This is brittany's boyfriend. I am the one that gave her the old beast. Here is what is happening:

When you try to start the car, it sounds like it is going to start but then all you can hear is a faint spinning. I have no idea what it is, I'm not a car guy. It happened a couple times before but it always started up on the next try. If you have any idea what it could be (for sure), it would be great to know because I don't have the kind of cash it is going to take to have it fixed. Thanks ahead of time.

PS >> It is a 1993 Lumina Z34 with a Twin DOHC V6. If there was any common problem like this with this car that would be great to know, too. It only has 60,000 miles on it so I really don't want to sell it to a junkyard for $200.