Buyer Research

2017 Nissan 370Z — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $18,000–$26,000. This is one of the more reliable vehicles in its class — here's what to watch for anyway.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 10 Nissan 370Z years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

Five complaints on the whole year and no recall campaigns. We will not read that as a clean bill of health — five filings is a measure of how few owners wrote to NHTSA, not of how the car wears. What the five do contain is useful: the clutch slave cylinder that dominates 2010 to 2014 turns up again here, and a Roadster owner documents a convertible-top problem that Nissan later covered in a service bulletin. By 2017 this is a well-sorted, long-running design with a strong naturally aspirated V6, and most of what can go expensive on it is findable in an afternoon. Test the clutch under real load, cycle the roof fully if it is a Roadster, run the VIN through NHTSA's own recall lookup, and pay for service history rather than for a low odometer.

What we checked

Checked against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 5 owner complaints for the 2017 Nissan 370Z, and no recall campaigns.

That is too small a record to read a pattern from, so we are not going to pretend otherwise — with numbers this low one owner moves the percentage by a lot. What has been filed is grouped under airbags (2), the transmission and drivetrain (1), the body and structure (1). Treat those as things to look at, not as the vehicle's known weaknesses. A thin file usually means few of these were sold or few owners filed. It is not evidence the vehicle is trouble-free, and the issues below are our own research rather than a reading of this record.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2017 Nissan 370Z

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.

Clutch slave cylinder seal fails and contaminates the hydraulic systemMedium

The single power-train complaint on this year describes it precisely: the seal on the clutch slave cylinder let go, the hydraulic fluid was contaminated, the clutch could no longer disengage, and the owner was stopped in the middle of the road able to move only by starting the car in gear. This is the one mechanical fault that runs unbroken through this generation, filed in the dozens on the earlier years. The cylinder is inside the bellhousing, so the transmission is removed to replace it, and the labour is the bill. Hold the pedal down at idle for thirty seconds looking for creep, and shift through every gear twice including reverse. Automatics do not have this part.

Repair cost (estimate): $700–$1,800 — small part, gearbox-out labour

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (1).

Roadster roof fouls itself when the fifth bow tension failsMedium

One owner of the convertible reported the fifth-bow tensioner not holding, which let the fabric rub against the frame as the roof moved, and says Nissan issued bulletin NTB19-061 on it in August 2019 after telling them nothing was wrong while the car was still in warranty. Left alone, a rubbing top wears through the fabric and turns a cheap adjustment into a new roof. This only applies to Roadster cars. Cycle the roof fully open and fully closed twice while you are there, watch where the fabric sits against the frame at the rear, and run your hand over the seams looking for a shiny worn strip.

Repair cost (estimate): $300–$1,200 for tensioner and adjustment work; a full replacement top runs far higher

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the body and structure (1).

Forged Sport wheels crack at the barrel after a pothole strikeMedium

One wheel complaint sits on this year's record. What is well established about the Sport package's 19-inch forged RAYS rims is that they trade impact tolerance for low weight: a hard pothole can start a crack rather than leave a dent, and the owner usually notices through a tyre that will not hold pressure for a week or a vibration that arrives above about 55 mph and goes away below it. Shine a phone torch around the inside of each rim looking for a weld bead, and ask whether any wheel has ever been refinished.

Repair cost (estimate): $600–$1,400 per wheel

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under wheels and bearings (1).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Clutch pedal that sinks while held down at a standstill
✗Fabric on the Roadster roof rubbing or shining where it meets the frame
✗Clutch fluid that looks dark or sits below the mark
✗Tyre pressure that is noticeably lower on one wheel than the other three

Good Signs

✓Roadster roof that opens and closes twice with even fabric tension
✓A clutch slave cylinder replacement on a dated invoice
✓Clutch that bites at the same height in all six gears
✓Every wheel showing its original finish with no repair welds inside the barrel
✓Dealer or independent service records covering oil changes since new