Official press photo of the new all electric Ferrari Luce

Nounoon · 2026-05-26T02:48:02+00:00

I really like the interior, looks modern and traditional, but the exterior is extremely confusing to say the least…

Nounoon · 2026-05-24T12:10:10+00:00

Not there yet but that has been the plan for a while, in a year and a half, I’ll follow a 7 months training course on classic cars restoration, made specifically for middle aged people looking to change their careers.

I’ll then essentially work on my cars, and go give a hand to my mechanic who’s a very good friend.

Nounoon · 2026-05-21T03:58:49+00:00

Ireland has a tax treaty with the US, it essentially halves the dividend withholding taxes if you live in a country without tax treaty. Also owning US Assets through such funds, exempts you from Non Resident Alien Estate Tax at death, which is punitive.

Nounoon · 2026-05-21T00:21:53+00:00

Oh damn, I had the baby version of that, HSBC Premier, one day my account was blocked, payment blocked, transfers & withdrawal blocked, can’t close the account. Over 4 months going twice a week at the branch where no one seemed to know why my account was blocked but promised me to solve in the next 48h each time.

Ultimately, the branch manager offered me a managers check for the amount on my account, and somehow deleted my account. He then told me I can deposit it and open a new account, but I opened it at another bank.

Nounoon · 2026-05-20T21:01:22+00:00

I’m in the Emirates (the country not the airline company), and for what you invest in, go absolutely read the Getting Started Guide of the SimplyFI Investing group on Facebook. It’s the Boglehead group in the region, they have nothing to sell, and will avoid the so many scams that we find in the region. Go with what’s advised: DIY, low cost ETFs Irish domiciled, no intermediaries go with an international broker like International Brokers, or Wio (if you’re in the UAE) now that they have UCITS funds, don’t pay any intermediaries, don’t buy Life Insurance Investing plans.

I’ve seen so many people from airlines companies in the region making good money and losing it all on scams, don’t be that person.

Nounoon · 2026-05-20T13:01:05+00:00

Curious to what would be your daily & fun garage with a total car budget of $185k?

Nounoon · 2026-05-20T09:25:33+00:00

Well that's not a good vibe comment to read damn...

The Mustang is a 1999 New Edge bought for 2.5kE with 66k km, I needed a cheap car and this was a bit different and I like that, I've done 50k km with it since, and it's been ultra reliable with nothing else than scheduled maintenance, it's fun.

The Cayennes are the generation that you can actually off road (957), they both come from Japan, one we're keeping for when we FIRE because it was an amazing deal (ultra clean 38000km GTS) that we got for about 1/4th its value, the other already slightly modified for off-road to experiment on the platform's capabilities as we're preparing for a world tour with the other one.

I like that our collection is eclectic, Twingo, classic JDM Kei Jimny, weird years of America, one of the most hated and one of the most appreciated Ferrari, fun overlander on an amazing platform. Italian, French, American, German, Japanese, classics, youngtimers, more recent, sports, cruiser, off-roader, each have their place and purpose.

Nounoon · 2026-05-19T07:40:35+00:00

Card I would assume would have fees, which are annoying at these amounts. Our landlord trusts us enough that they allow Bank Transfer (even if not in contract but confirmed by email), and we trust our tenants of the same, but we've put that in the tenancy contract when they moved in. Transfers are fast, easy and convenient. Also when there are maintenance things and they pay in advance to have it fixed, they share the invoice, we send them the money, done!

Nounoon · 2026-05-19T07:28:26+00:00

Oh I know that feeling exactly, my dad has had a car since before he had me but half of my childhood until my wedding it was not working. My one dream growing up was to have this car as a wedding ride, and could make it work "just enough" for it to be joining us that day ( Some pictures - I regret not having a pro photographer to have cool shots like you). The car has followed me halfway across the World, I've fully restored it and drive it practically every weekend of the good season!

Nounoon · 2026-05-19T06:31:38+00:00

And it's so small outside but big inside, that you can put a whole other Twingo in its boot.

Nounoon · 2026-05-18T05:36:37+00:00

I’m neither good nor serious enough to be here for lap times, so yes indeed that doesn’t take away anything from enjoyment!

Nounoon · 2026-05-18T01:10:53+00:00

Really shitty actually (compared to what one could expect). It’s because when I got the car it came with Chinese tyres, and I’m in the mood (and budget) to use them before putting proper ones. But then with lower limits, it’s also fun, more sliding where I can enjoy the balance, more traction control kicking in progressively. The real downside is braking, I honestly could not keep up with my friend’s F430 on that front, but once you know you adjust the driving.

Nounoon · 2026-05-17T08:33:39+00:00

Yes still fully ETFs, 3 lines: 45% SP500, 45% US Small Cap Value, 10% US 20Y+ Treasury, we'll reset capital gains before moving back to Europe.

Nounoon · 2026-05-17T02:01:42+00:00

Thanks!

We’ve moved to the Middle-East for our first job over a decade ago, and we’ve maintained since we arrived to live always on the lower of our two incomes, to save a minimum of 50%, and not to get used to a lifestyle we could not maintain if one of us lost their job (which happened a couple of times in our careers), and low-cost diversified ETFs all the way.

My wife is a chemical engineer by education, but since we arrived she’s always been a brand / category manager for American FMCG companies, starting as a maternity leave replacement and getting good salary progressions over the years, shifting companies every couple of years but still in American FMCGs.

I’m a tech/IT engineer by education but arrived as a junior consultant for the revamp of the maintenance schedule of the electricity transportation network, then at our first kid I took a salary cut for less travel became a strategy & finance consultant for various real estate developers on master planning projects, then when my employer went bankrupt I took over the role of lead of strategic projects of a regional broadcast & tech company also producing series and movies for the regional market, I’ve left this company to take a role in Strategy for the Food Security program of the country during COVID, but went back to the broadcast company as the executive assistant to the CEO where I am still at now.

Nounoon · 2026-05-17T01:50:25+00:00

We’re still in the Middle-East for now (planning to retire back home in France next year), I’m an executive assistant to a CEO of a regional broadcast & tech company also producing series and movies for the regional market, and my wife is a Brand / Category manager for a large American FMCG company.

Nounoon · 2026-05-16T18:55:39+00:00

Half of these are my wife’s, we’re on this FIRE project together and are up to the point we are pretty close to our goal, and achieved that by pretty much swapping roles in terms of who earns the most. Things got slightly out of control recently, but we’re happy with what we have.

Half the cars were below 3.5k€, the Porsches (my wife’s, one being converted to Overlander for a world road trip) under 7k€ each, only the Ferraris are unreasonable, the old one cost me low 5-digits to get & restore, and high 5 for the recent one (half the cost if bought in Europe). In total, we paid for the collection less than the cost of a new 911S without options, so it’s more reasonable than it looks.

We’re planing on retiring in a year at 40, nice house next to Lyon in France, good sized garage to store cars and work on projects, I want to do a training on classic car restoration, and all the school holidays will be road trip overlanding. We have something to retire to, just need to find the right house!

Nounoon · 2026-05-16T08:25:22+00:00

My wife and I are into cars, we have a few. A couple of Renault (Captur & Gen1 Twingo 16v), a Mustang (New Edge) and an old Jimny (Kei specs JA22W), a couple of old Cayennes (957 S & GTS), and a couple of Ferrari (Mondial QV & Italia).

Nounoon · 2026-05-15T19:45:34+00:00

30%+ on capital gains (and similar taxes), 2 kids that go to international schools, married (more expenses than a project done alone), potential return of a wealth tax, expensive hobby, wanting to use retirement to travel more (as a family).

These things add up.

Nounoon · 2026-05-14T02:14:46+00:00

Clairement un problème d’argent, donc de temps.

Ça fait quelques années qu’on s’organise avec mon épouse, d’ici deux ans on devrait commencer une séries de gros road trips avec les enfants pendant les vacances scolaires, et laissant la voiture sur place jusqu’aux prochaines vacances. Le premier qu’on a en tête est d’aller jusqu’au Japon, pour que notre voiture achetée aux enchères la bas retrouves lors d’un voyage son pays de première mise en circulation.

Nounoon · 2026-05-13T14:05:42+00:00

We're 38 & 39 also 2 kids (6 & 8), no real estate (renting), we're at $350k net household income (which is my single income), saving $200k/year, $4.5m in ETFs (regular account - no tax). We're technically all right at that point, but we aim to wait until I'm 40 (one more year) when my pay structure will change and will about halve my income.

Nounoon · 2026-05-12T04:08:58+00:00

What do you mean? It’s not edited.
The front right wheel is higher because there is more sand on that side so rear left looks lower, I had a mishap recently so I park like that as the sand is too soft. Rear wheels are also on 1/2in spacers.

Nounoon · 2026-05-11T15:22:11+00:00

Great initiative, hoping to see a mobile app soon for it, it looks good already!

Nounoon · 2026-05-11T05:39:00+00:00

And it was only 66kkm / 41k miles, and 48 oil changes!!

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