In my humble opinion, I don't think that purchasing a life-long companion (or for the next 12-17 years) is something that I want to look for the best value in... I feel that the investment you make today makes a difference where a breeder has been careful in choosing the breeding program, DNA testing, and making sure that serious defects are not being passed on to the next generation. When all careful breeding is a part of the breeder's program, the cost of the puppy will go up too - as it will cost breeder money to ensure a certain standard.
A lot of us here on SM have chosen our kids very carefully and in exchange, paid a good bit of money for our kids too. However, every one of us will tell you that our kids are worth every cent of that big check.
If your father is reluctant to pay $600 for the puppy, how will he be when the time comes to pay that $2k vet bill in case the puppy has problems? Food for thought... Imagine how heart broken you will be if the puppy needs to be put to sleep because of health problems and (im just assuming here) you don't have the money to pay for it yourself and your parents don't want to pay. I held off getting a dog until I am stable on my own because I know that my father would never consider paying medical procedures over 1K for an animal.
Whatever decision you come to, I wish you lots of luck and happiness