Batteries are not engine componants, they work by time, and not miles.
Was the battery topped up?

Did you let the car run for a little before turning the AC on, and
similarly turn the AC off a little bit before you turned the engine
off in Az? if not, thats what would have killed them.

Yes and no. The battery is designed to be chargable. using, and
draining and charging the battery doesn't 'damage it' per se. If it is
kept below 10V for an extended period of time (say 12 hours or more)
then it is irreperably damaged. using a trickle charger is the best
way to charge a low battery.

That really depends on the climate. When I lived in Phoenix I never had a
battery survive three summers - they would almost always give up early in
the third summer (like around May, since summer there is pretty much
May-September, and it's hit 100 degrees in March.) Now I live in Flagstaff
and the only battery I've had to replace in 4 years was in a car we had
recently bought.

Other things can suck the life out of a battery, especially if they are run
down and charged by driving the car.

Mike

Hello,
Recently went in for an oil change at 35K.
The battery load test failed on my car even
though I appear to have no starting problems.

My questions:
Besides the honda battery (delphi), are there
other good replacement batteries?

I'm looking at:
Everready (by AC delco) $65
Energizer               $60
Bosch                   $79
Diehard                 $79    (Sears)

Is it normal for the battery to fail load test
at only 36K?

THANK YOU!