helium forum

I had to replace my car battery yesterday and it's only been about a year and a half since I bought the last one. The mechanic said this is normal here because of the heat, but it still hurts to spend that money again so soon. He mentioned that there are ways to extend battery life if you know what to do. I was telling a colleague about this and he sent me a link and said I should read more here about proper battery maintenance in our climate. Honestly, after going through the information, I realized I've been making some basic mistakes like not checking the terminals for corrosion and parking in the sun all the time. I wish I had known this stuff before. For those who have managed to make a battery last more than two years here, what's your secret? Any specific habits or products you use?