How would you upgrade my MacBook Pro 15" to maximize performance?  No dollar limit.

I love my MCB, but am not technical.
Spend my money, theoretically -- If you had an unlimited budget to upgrade this system to make it fast and more efficient, what would you buy or do to it?
I'm deciding if I should scrap it and get a new MacBook Pro 13" instead.  I like my MCB 15", but it seems to be getting hung up alot with the spinning rainbow, everyday apps freezing or crashing, and just slow when I have multiple windows open in Safari and Firefox at same time.  I realize that the sites I browse to are more graphic intensive than they were when I got the MCB in 2008, but I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to spend some $$$ to upgrade whatever I can and save my pennies for a newer Mac in a year or two.  Safari and Mail crash or get hung a lot, Photo Booth folder is mysteriously empty, 
So should I expect to be able to get substantial performance improvement (speed, multi-tasking) if I upgrade whatever is upgradable? 
I surf using multiple browsers and open many tabs and mail with numerous accounts and magicjack, ocassionally use iweb, pages, text, calendar, low intensity games.
Thanks for any advice and recommendations and thoughts.  I'd probably get the Genius Bar to install upgrades.
MacBook Pro 15"
      2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
     2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
     L2 Cache 3 MB
     Bus Speed 800 MHZ
OSX 10.5.8
HD 186 GB (137 used)
I back up Time Machine to WD My Passport 1TB
GeForce 8600M GT:
  Chipset Model:          GeForce 8600M GT
  Type:          Display
  Bus:          PCIe
  PCIe Lane Width:          x4
  VRAM (Total):          256 MB
  Vendor:          NVIDIA (0x10de)
  Device ID:          0x0407
  Revision ID:          0x00a1
  ROM Revision:          3212
Intel ICH8-M AHCI:
  Vendor:          Intel
  Product:          ICH8-M AHCI
  Speed:          1.5 Gigabit
  Description:          AHCI Version 1.10 Supported
USB Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBUHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x2834
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0x1a
BRCM2046 Hub:
  Product ID:          0x4500
  Vendor ID:          0x0a5c  (Broadcom Corp.)
  Version:          1.00
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0x1a100000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
Also -- it had a couple of soft drops to floor and one medium intensity drop, always on carpet.  so the case (not unibody) is dented on the sides with ports.  All "seem" to work fine except right side USB; looks pushed in and angled, and the plastic trim that fills in space connecting flat top of typing surface to bottom cover has a 4" piece cracked off (kind of looks like where grout would go).  Devices work but if you move the wire it's power filckers off and on.  Have never used firewire or thunderbolt ports on this. 
I would like more USB port options (maybe a high grade extendor???) for Logitech laptop cooler, external HD, VOIP device, wired mouse, wired keyboard (I prefer wired).
Thanks again.

Hello Neville,
Thanks for looking in to this and alerting me.  I don't know how to interpret all the data in the descriptions of the USBs in your post (or mine, for that matter) Which descriptive line/codes show a USB 1.0 and a USB 2.0.  I would like to understand how to read that.
Here's how I determined both are 2.0.
1.  I checked my serial number at this Apple link and confirmed it is MacBook Pro 15" Early Version.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4132
2.  Then I looked up the technical specifications at this Apple support link:
http://support.apple.com/kb/SP4
3. .Then I double-checked and looked up tech specs at this EveryMac link:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-core-2-duo-2 .4-15-santa-rosa-specs.html
Both links say two USB 2.0 ports.  I just took it for granted that they are both correct.
Much appreciation for your help.
M
Here's exactly what is listed in my About This Mac under USB:
USB Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBUHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x2834
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0x1a
Hub:
  Product ID:          0x2046
  Vendor ID:          0x0451  (Texas Instruments)
  Version:          1.25
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Location ID:          0x1a200000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
BRCM2046 Hub:
  Product ID:          0x4500
  Vendor ID:          0x0a5c  (Broadcom Corp.)
  Version:          1.00
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0x1a100000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
Bluetooth USB Host Controller:
  Product ID:          0x820f
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          1.80
  Serial Number:          001EC28C27BA
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0x1a110000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
Hub:
  Product ID:          0x2046
  Vendor ID:          0x0451  (Texas Instruments)
  Version:          1.25
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Location ID:          0x1a200000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
BRCM2046 Hub:
  Product ID:          0x4500
  Vendor ID:          0x0a5c  (Broadcom Corp.)
  Version:          1.00
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0x1a100000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
Bluetooth USB Host Controller:
  Product ID:          0x820f
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          1.80
  Serial Number:          001EC28C27BA
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0x1a110000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
Bluetooth USB Host Controller:
  Product ID:          0x820f
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          1.80
  Serial Number:          001EC28C27BA
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0x1a110000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          0
USB Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBUHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x2830
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0x1d
USB Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBUHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x2831
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0x3d
USB Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBUHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x2835
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0x3a
USB Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBUHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x2832
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0x5d
Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad:
  Product ID:          0x0230
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          0.70
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple, Inc.
  Location ID:          0x5d200000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          40
IR Receiver:
  Product ID:          0x8242
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          0.16
  Speed:          Up to 1.5 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Computer, Inc.
  Location ID:          0x5d100000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          100
Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad:
  Product ID:          0x0230
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          0.70
  Speed:          Up to 12 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple, Inc.
  Location ID:          0x5d200000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          40
IR Receiver:
  Product ID:          0x8242
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          0.16
  Speed:          Up to 1.5 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Computer, Inc.
  Location ID:          0x5d100000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          100
USB High-Speed Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBEHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x2836
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0xfd
Built-in iSight:
  Product ID:          0x8502
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          1.60
  Serial Number:          8T82D00GB0003L00
  Speed:          Up to 480 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0xfd400000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          500
Built-in iSight:
  Product ID:          0x8502
  Vendor ID:          0x05ac  (Apple Inc.)
  Version:          1.60
  Serial Number:          8T82D00GB0003L00
  Speed:          Up to 480 Mb/sec
  Manufacturer:          Apple Inc.
  Location ID:          0xfd400000
  Current Available (mA):          500
  Current Required (mA):          500
USB High-Speed Bus:
  Host Controller Location:          Built In USB
  Host Controller Driver:          AppleUSBEHCI
  PCI Device ID:          0x283a
  PCI Revision ID:          0x0003
  PCI Vendor ID:          0x8086
  Bus Number:          0xfa

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