dash lights brightness wheel?

Since I never got an answer, I went and paid $259 to get the dash lights fixed. I know from looking at it that the replacement box is used, and a friend found the part on Amazon for just $40. After the fact. Too little too late. Oh well. At least my dash lights work and I can now safely drive at night and know my speed and everything else the dash tells me. How much should I have paid for that part? (The box that contains the controls for the lights, including the brightness wheel)