Hilltop Repair Services
6869 Whitneyville Avenue, Alto, MI 49302 616.893.2222

Engine and Exhaust

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Simple Answers from Hilltop Repair Services: Synthetic Oil

Question What is synthetic oil, and should I use it? Answer Regular oil, also called conventional oil, comes from dead dinosaurs.  Conventional oil molecules are long hydrocarbon chains of var...
Published on: May 25, 2025

Oil Change

An oil change:  Sounds simple, but there’s some important things to know about preventing oil sludge. Oil eventually starts to turn into jelly.  Literally – petroleum jelly.&nbs...
Published on: Apr 13, 2025

The “Man-Made” Engine Oil (Synthetic Oil Change)

If you own a newer vehicle, your vehicle’s manufacturer may require that it use synthetic oil instead of conventional oil.  Synthetic oils are more stable, don’t break down as easily,...
Published on: Feb 23, 2025

The Harm in Skipping an Oil Change

Some new vehicle manufacturers are now recommending much higher oil change intervals than they have in the past. As much as 5,000 to 8,000 miles or more.  Following these recommendations is very ...
Published on: Nov 30, 2023

Oil Change

An oil change at your local Alto, MI, auto shop sounds simple, but there are some pretty important things to know about preventing oil sludge.Oil eventually starts to turn into jelly, literally:  ...
Published on: Jul 11, 2023

The Maintenance Mindset For Alto Drivers

{{ image('MzA0') }} In Alto, we know we need to take care of our cars, but it just seems really hard to remember to do it. We generally accept that many things in life require regular maintenance but...
Published on: Oct 02, 2022

Alto: Have You Considered Synthetic Oil?

I recently saw an ad for synthetic oil.  I really hadn’t heard about it before, so I asked by service advisor for some background.  Basically, the inside of your engine gets hot becaus...
Published on: Apr 07, 2022

Hilltop Repair Services Tip: Use The Correct Fluids In Your Vehicle

Big advances in automotive technology have led to the development of high-tech fluids to keep pace.  A simple example of this is the cooling system.  For decades it was primarily made from i...
Published on: Jul 06, 2021