So what do you do about neighbours?

Explain the situation clearly so there is no misunderstanding.. he might not think he is coming across as an curse word sort of thing. Then if he continues being an curse word tell him where to go and ignore him as suggested above. My neighbors now are pretty safe and in fact very helpful whn it comes to car/bike stuff.. but had some nightmares in the past.. as long as you're not bashing away in the middle of the night or pouring waste oil all over his garden I see no issue?

Another vote for what querty said.

From my experience when my dad was spannering/hammering/welding/spraying his own cars the reply my neighbour got was something like ''clear off, think about it, and come back to me through the official channels next month...''

We heared nothing more.

RETIRED = too much free time, buggar all to do, and has to fill his day making himself feel important by poking his nose into things that don't concern him

^^thats very true, they're not too bad round my way though as theyve all got allotments and tractors to keep em occupied, except the weasely little bloke over the road who has his own 'layby' in front of his house (i think it used to be a bus stop by the looks, i find the legalities of it being 'his' quite dubious). he lives next door to the only shop for 3 miles and acts surprised when people park in 'his' layby, and regularly opens his front door and has a go at them not to park there.
my carpenter mate unwittingly parked in it the other day when dropping my kitchen off to me- lets face it, if youre in a bloody great van, do you park in the empty layby, or block the road? little weaselly man came storming out of his front door towards said van, just as my 6'5" tall, tattoed head to toe including most of his face mate came round the other side to open the back door, for little man to do a very quick heel-turn and run back up his path and slam the door behind him without saying a word- priceless!

Is this not what all we used to do on a Sunday ? Back when cars required regular maintainence I find it quite refreshing my neighbors think I'm a bit odd but only ask what I'm currently fixing.

Both my neighbours didn't used to talk to me. The old woman next door used to take photos of me and my mates putting scrap cars on trailers and her and her husband came out moaning when fumes off my overfuelling p38 v8 were entering their house, saying they were going to report me. Which I replied with "for what? Starting my own car on my own drive?". Still waiting for someone to come and see me. Although that was a disrespectful action by myself, and do have more consideration to them (by not leaving my Range Rover running on the drive for too long). I don't talk to either of them on principle now even though the old man comes round from time to time asking if its ok to access my back garden to clean their conservatory or something. The other neighbour used to moan about my mates parking in front of his house even though his driveway is at the rear, and has even put conifers down our dividing wall so he doesnt have to look at my collection of cars. Funnily enough though ever since I've fixed his car he's all pally pally.
My moms neighbours have had the council out less than a month ago because of the my cars parked on her drive and on the road. As soon as the council found the house was privately owned and we werent operating a business they left. Now theres a 25ft long recovery truck parked on the drive with a car on the bed.

Incedently were I live now
there is a fine old guy who always pops by when I'm fettling and I brew him a tea
and we chat about stuff, and I love to hear his stories of being in Burma,Egypt etc..
Not all old sorts are grumpy !

Tell em to f**k off. Eventually if you persist they'll put their house up for sale and you'll get a new set of neighbours and get to play "does the new neighbour like cars lottery". If the new neighbours continue to be arsey put a 1973 Oldsmobile on the drive next to your broken radioactive Multipla as a shot across the bows. This will accelerate their decision to sell the house on and live with the boring people.

I'd have politely informed him that-

A. He is a very rude and nosey person.
B. it's got feck-all to do with him what you do on your drive.
C. It's your own motor and can fix it on your own drive if you want to.
D. That you're only on this earth a short time and maybe suggest he go out ballroom dancing or rambling? After all, isn't that what old people do?? (In relation to all people who fix cars outside houses being travellers?)
E. He should slurp on your meaty sausage and do one!

Do not let this sort of garbage bother you mate. Let him inform the pope or whoever. You're doing nowt wrong. Crack on with your jobs.

Oh, and most old people are great. Some of the best conversation and advice can be had from older people IMO.