Inspect Important Components Before Driving This Spring

Blog Jan 30th, 2026

Check Tires, Fluids and Brakes After Your Corvette Sits All Winter

At this point in the winter, you are probably chomping at the bit to take your Corvette out of storage and get it on the road again. We are likely still a few months away from suitable spring driving weather, the Munro Motors team thought it would be helpful to outline a few things you should be ready to do when the time comes. We surveyed a few maintenance experts we know and came up with a systematic checklist to inspect your car’s tires, fluids, and brakes after it has been sitting all winter. If you need help getting your classic Corvette back into driving condition, make an appointment with our service department.

Visual Inspection Points

Every automotive service and maintenance expert we spoke to suggested starting with large scale visual inspection before methodically getting more focused on individual systems. Your initial visual inspection should look for:

Fluid leaks
Signs of pest infiltration
Corrosion

Each noticeable symptom should be dealt with one at a time to prevent small problems from becoming big ones. Your next level of inspection should focus on searching for potential damage to various belts, hoses and visible wiring.

Check Essential Fluid Levels

Fluids are a crucial part of the health of any car, truck or SUV. The first fluid you’ll want to check is the oil to confirm there hasn’t been an unexpected leak over the winter. Pay close attention to the condition of the oil, though you’ll want to change it before taking a drive anyway. Other fluids to check include:

Engine coolant
Brake fluid
Transmission fluid
Power steering fluid
Windshield washer fluid

If you didn’t drain the car’s fuel tank before storage, you’ll probably need to do that before starting for the first time in the spring. Be sure to follow local regulations for disposing of old fuel and motor oil.

Season’s First Start and Test Drive

Once you’ve completed all the initial checks and it’s time to start the engine for the first time this season, it’s important to remain focused. When the engine turns over for the first time, let it idle for a bit. Listen for any sounds of distress and look at the gauges for any additional warning signals. When you hit the road for your first test drive, our experts suggest:

Continue to listen for unusual sounds
Carefully check braking response
Ensure the steering wheel turns freely
Avoid hard acceleration at first

Whether you need help from our team of service experts getting your vehicle ready to drive or need help finding your next classic ride, make an appointment with Munro Motors today.