RENO, NV - It's like putting the area's 16 car dealerships under one roof, a full exhibit hall at the Reno Sparks Convention Center full of shiny new cars.

It's meant to be easy, one-stop comparison shopping for those who may be in the market. Most we talked with today do expect to be buying sometime in the next year.

Their reasons vary....
"We've been saving our pennies," says potential SUV buyer Ty Burrell, "We're ready."

"Our teenage daughter is about to get our old car," says Kevin Brown, who with wife Amy is also kicking tires on SUV's.

"That means I get the new car," laughs Amy.

It works the other way in Nick Shukla's family. He and his daughter Pooja Singh were checking out Acuras and Lexus models. In there case we suspect the daughter gets the new car.

"It's going to be a family car." she insists.

Yeah, but your father already has a car, so....

"That's true," she laughs.

There were in this big hall, a number of hybrids, even some plug in electrics. They were on some shopping lists, but not others.

"The technology is too new," says Shukla.

Kevin Brown is looking at hybrids, but "I'm comparing them with V-6 models that have comparable mileage."

Still, price and mileage seemed most important to those we talked with, though there were other considerations.

Ty Burrell, for instance, is only looking at American cars.
He expects to settle on a Ford Escape.

"Just the way I was raised," he says.

Economics may play a crucial role, but lest we forget for many of us choosing which car we'll drive is still, at some level, an emotional decision.

"It's whatever she wants," admits Kevin Brown.

"And I want a test drive first," adds Amy.

The Auto Show runs through Sunday at the Reno Sparks Convention Center. Admission is free.