Keeping unfrozen water in the car

[peejay]

What's the consensus on keeping something like 2L or 5L bottles of water in a liquid state in the car boot during a significant cold snap? Would storing it in a closed cool-box be sufficient d'ya think? If it got stupidly cold I could even always throw a single hand-warmer in there but I think we'd be in dire straits in the (Midlands) UK if things got that cold?

Just wanting to ensure I have bases covered in the car in case of getting caught away from home which, to be fair, isn't highly likely for me as I don't travel too much without a caravan on the back anyway but I'm happier being prepared...

[jansman]

I keep water in the car.This time of year I empty a fifth out to allow for freezing.However,it's never happened yet.

[Panther]

I always keep a 2 litre bottle of water in the boot of the car. So far it hasn't frozen even in the coldest of weathers.
Well, that's done it; it's bound to happen now I've said that.

[pseudonym]

I keep water in the car.This time of year I empty a fifth out to allow for freezing.However,it's never happened yet.

Same here.

[peejay]

Thanks all, I've done the same in the past to no ill effects but assumed I got lucky. Part-full bottle it is then...

[Yorkshire Andy]

I carry a 5l bottle cars big enough it fits under the front passenger seat from the back (the seat and floor bracing stops it coming forward.. at the front there is a high visibility cost and from the back a blanket... And a blower duct if cold I usually blow it into the footwell to keep my toes warm

[peejay]

I just remembered what it was that was on my mind about it in the first place - last winter I had a Water-to-Go bottle half-full in the cup holder & it froze, knackering the filter. Obviously a much smaller volume of water is easier to freeze but I knew there was a reason it was on my mind...

[grenfell]

I had an old van on the drive for several years and had left a few things in it. One was a can of tango which at some point had frozen solid and split the can. Obviously it had then leaked when it thawed but then over the years had then evaporated. That had been in an aluminium mess tin and the acid and sugar from the tango had corrroded the tin a bit. Which if nothing else is a lesson to check things more often but also that it's a good idea to put any liquid in another container , even if it's only a bucket , just in case of leakage.

[Bijela]

I bought the Voss water in a plastic bottle from Tesco in the meal deal. We opened the bottles and squeezed about half the air out and stuck them in the freezer. We then put them in the car for our trip in Europe. We arrive there almost 24 hours later and there was some ice in the unused bottles. The air con kept the car around 18. Other wise would have been top 30s in to 40s. Didn't leak or anything adjusting the air/flex in the bottle for the expansion due to ice over water worked.

[Jamesey1981]

I have liferaft ration water packs in my car kit, they have the water in small sachets with enough space to allow for freezing. I used to drive a pickup with a canopy on the back and they never leaked.
Expensive way of carrying water but they last a few years so for convenience I think it's worth it.
I usually have a bottle of water with me if I'm doing anything other than my day to day driving and that isn't in there long enough to freeze.

I don't carry much water, certainly not enough to top up my coolant, probably should but I can't devote the boot space any more and my car is only a few months old so I will hopefully get away with it.

I do have methods of purification for if I need to walk home in there as well though.