PSA - Protect your fuel door release handle/cable against corrosion

[motorbreath]

So I pulled-up to a gas station earlier today to fill-up, but found that my fuel door did not open after pulling the release next to my drivers seat. The release lever pull also felt surprisingly light, so I realized that the exposed part of the cable must have rusted and broken (see pics). I drilled-out the screw holding the cover on, surprise surprise, it was completely rust-welded to the bracket. Snapped off both nuts and the two studs that the handle bracket is attached to, they too were rust welded together.

The previous owners used the stock all-weather mats, which do f-all for protecting the foot well areas from salt and water in the winter. I have Weather Techs which do a good job, but the damage was already done. My suggestion for all of you wonderful people out there with functioning fuel door release levers is to spray that area with some corrosion inhibitor (Fluid Film, something like that).

There is not much of the exposed cable left for me to work with, along with the broken studs for the handle bracket, so I'll probably just crimp another piece of stranded cable with a loop onto the remaining exposed cable end and try to fasten the cover in place so that it is not too unsightly.

[4BKT VET]

Mini Vice Grips.