1998 Saturn SL2 start/not starting

Do you have a manual or automatic transmission?Do you have a multimeter?

If your hearing one loud click from the starter when the engine doesn't turn over then most likely you have a bad starter. But you would need a multimeter to test for power to the purple wire to the starter solenoid when you turned the key to the start position. You could also try when the starter just click's taping on the starter with a hammer and if the starter kick's the engine over bad starter.