Man takes van to Spain after paying only half

mbl.is reports that a man took a van to Spain after paying only 500,000 Icelandic krónur of the agreed 1.1 million króna purchase price. The seller, Gróa Hreinsdóttir, a long-distance bus driver in her seventies, says he still owes her 600,000 krónur.

Gróa sold her Opel Movano to a colleague two years ago after agreeing that he could pay in two instalments. He was supposed to pay half in the autumn of 2024 and the remainder the following summer.

Instead, he paid the first 500,000 krónur on 1 September 2025, almost a year later than agreed. He has not paid the remaining 600,000 krónur, which he had promised to pay in August this year.

The man had worked for the same bus company as Gróa in Iceland since 2013. She says he had shown interest in the vehicle, which she used as a touring vehicle, and often told her that it would be enjoyable to own one like it.

When he said he wanted to have the van in Spain, where he spends the winters, Gróa offered to sell it to him for 1.1 million krónur instead of the 1.4 million krónur she had initially requested. She also agreed to let him pay in two instalments.

At his request, she registered the vehicle in his daughter’s name and paid the registration fee.

In October 2024, Gróa contacted the buyer after receiving no payment. He told her he was travelling east to take the van aboard the ferry Norræna before driving it to Spain. When she asked whether he would pay before leaving, he said the money would arrive around the end of the month.

Almost a year later, 500,000 krónur were transferred to Gróa’s account. She says he had not contacted her or provided any explanation.

Gróa then contacted his daughter and demanded the full purchase price. According to Gróa, the daughter said her father had promised to settle the debt but could offer no further help.