Engine light came on, car is not shifting properly. Sometimes not at all, and the engine races. Oh, dear.

So I came to work extra early, driving very gingerly, figuring (correctly) that at 5 a.m. there wouldn't be much traffic and I could poke along without causing a traffic hazard.

At 7 a.m. I'll take the car into the place where I have it serviced, which is just east of where I work after you go under the freeway. I've asked a coworker to come with me and drive me back here to my office.

I have no idea how major the problem is, how long it will take to fix and how much it's going to cost me.

Probably a lot (an answer to all three questions).