Background: I drive a 2017 Ford Escape. I drive fairly infrequently (working from home) so it only has about 60k miles on it. I live in Pennsylvania so I do have snow and road salt in winters. It’s been parked outside uncovered, but I’m in a place now where I can put it in a garage this winter (provided I actually clean out the garage and make room). It’s in great condition otherwise with the only issue I’ve ever really had to get done was replacing the AC and I plan on keeping it for the foreseeable future.

Backstory: About 2 years ago, the gas tank heat shield rusted through and started dragging. My brother-in-law tied it up with some metal zip ties and I never got it fixed. About a year ago, it had continued rusting to the point where that wasn’t feasible anymore and it started dragging again while I was on a trip away from home. I took it to the first shop I could find and just had them tear the whole thing out. When I got home, I went to the local Pep Boys to have them put a new one on and they flaked on me. They said they ordered one but it was supposedly backordered due to supply issues and they would call when it finally came in but they never did. I’ve since moved 90 miles away so I don’t really care if they ever do.

Now: So now, I’ve been driving like this for a year without any issue except maybe a small decrease in gas mileage. Is there really a case for me actually getting a new one out on? Pep Boys’ estimate was $500 for parts and labor. My primary concern isn’t heat-related so much as it is that, without it, the things it was covering are now exposed to elements and are now maybe in danger themselves of now rusting out when they weren’t necessarily before.

Should I get it done at that cost (if that’s even an accurate cost) or am I good to just go on without it?

It’s not a matter of the cost being detrimental, but rather a matter of it being something worth spending on preventively or am I better to just respond to any issues when they come?