I had a Brunswick furniture table similar to that one for maybe, 14 years. After a while, the rubber on the rails turned hard as a rock. It was like trying to bank a ball of of a 2 x 4 piece of lumber. Definitely needed to have the rubber replaced. I'd be suspicious of that one, too, so check it carefully.
I gave my table away (to a friend of a friend), and explained the situation. They wanted it anyway. I was just glad to get it out of the house, at no cost to me. I actually thought about putting the wood in the fireplace.
Edit: BTW, I understand the Gold Crown situation. Up in the Northeast, they are a dime a dozen. But here in Texas, they are not as common, and finding a good one can take some shopping around. I did find a good one (here on the forum), though. It was a little pricy, but the rails had already been rebuilt by RKC. An 8 footer will be tough to find, but it might happen. Good luck.